A Star's Descent
by evolution-500
Summary: Resident Evil/House of the Dead crossover. Following the discovery of an abandoned train and its lone occupant, a S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team Medic inadvertently sets into motion a series of brutal and horrific events as she and her team are hunted by monstrous creatures of unknown origin. Aided by both an escaped convict and the enigmatic Star, will they escape with their lives?
1. Prologue: The Red Death

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Cover by NaiveWriter (aka Multifreak99 on Deviantart)**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Prologue: The Red Death**

**July 23rd, 1998**

Darkness and decay had begun to settle within the Arklay Mountain region in Colorado. Roughly fifty miles west of the Rockies, it was an isolated and relatively untouched section of the Midwest that was frequently used as a site of interest for the small town of Raccoon City during tourist season. For anyone that had visited the area during the summer, before the time of rigorously enforced curfews, sightings of strange men in white and other questionable oddities, these marvelous landmasses were said to have provided a soothing and comforting image of tranquility, their sublime features often equated with that of a kind and watchful uncle by the locals.

And yet, for all of their colorful if not romantic descriptions that they had laid out in the past, the attitudes the townspeople shared in the present were becoming increasingly more unfavorable due to recent events. There lingered an uncannily dismal and sordid air around the mountains, looming ominously over Raccoon Forest as well as the town despite it being thirty-five miles further to the south. Instead of providing the idyllic promise of paradise and protection, the lands were now seen as something dark and foreboding. The tall peaks became equated with tombstones, solemn warning signs for all who dared to venture in. Hardly anyone was able to account for the change in atmosphere and for the startling acts of violence committed there, save for bits of gossip and local legendry. What was agreed upon was that there was some sort of corruption at work. Whether it was physical or metaphysical in nature, one would not be able to say with certainty.

On this particular night, there came a troubling suggestion of hubris, as if the very fabrics of space and time were slowly being unravelled to mark the beginning of something horrid. Trees bristled fiercely within the breeze. On a small hill, nearby the forest, an open field of flowers could be found with the tell-tale signs of this oncoming miasma. Once, it was a place of indescribable beauty and elegance with its amazing array of colors. In recent times, though, this miasma had taken its toll on the area, rendering the field into a ghoulish necropolis. A single raindrop landed onto a red wilted flower, its pitiful few and discolored petals twitching slightly. Gone was its splendour, and in its place was a hideous gnarled hand. As drops gently cascaded down, the leaves of the malformed flowers twitched slightly upward as the wind picked up, swaying them to and fro in unnatural harmony. They clawed at the sky, as if desperately seeking Heaven's solace in some vain attempt to rid themselves of whatever affliction had hindered them. The moon gleamed brightly over one of the tallest peaks as a secondary light, though much smaller and manmade in origin, made its way through the dark wood. A powerful engine moved it continuously forward, driving it relentlessly toward the lonely town of Raccoon City. Standing overhead, a set of inhuman eyes watched the mechanical goliath approach, taking note of the stylized lettering stencilled along its side that was made visible by the moonlight. The Ecliptic Express wheezed and whistled onward toward the dark wood, brushing past the clawing fingers of nearby trees.

* * *

><p>Onboard, people from a wide variety of different age groups, genders, racial and social backgrounds could be found. Those who were in the upper economic stratum wore fancy formal suits with ties and beautiful dresses, enjoying the benefits of wealth within their own private car on the top floor, while the rest of the middle and lower strata sat respectively in the lower levels of the train in regular passenger seats, dressed in ordinary clothing. The chairs that they sat on were marked with a red and white pattern, a distinctive symbol that indicated the train's corporate sponsor. Though disparate in terms of social rank, people were merry. They chatted, they laughed, and ate with no hint of worry as Bobby Darin's Splish Splash started to play on the speakers.<p>

_'Splish Splash,  
>I was takin' a bath.' <em>

CRASH!

'_All on a Saturday Night!_

_YEAAAH!_

_Rub dub,_

_Just relaxin' in the tub,_

_Thinkin' everything was alright!'_

Glass shattered, causing red wine to spill across the carpet. The waitress raised her hands up to her mouth, her face worried. No one was hurt, but it was close enough to wake one of the occupants sitting quietly in a chair, an individual who was the sole inspiration for anxiety among the passengers due to his appearance. Her supervisor, John Owens, a round, middle-aged man with crescent moon spectacles and the jowls of a bulldog, came over to her.

'_Well I stepped out the tub, _

_Put my feet on the floor._

_I wrapped a towel around me and_

_Opened the door,  
>And then a,<em>

_SPLISH SPLASH!_

_I jumped back in the bath, _

_For how was I to know there was a party goin' on?'_

"You half-wit, this is coming off your wages," he growled lowly so that only she could hear.

"I-I'm really sorry, sir," the poor girl stammered.  
>"I don't care if you are! Clean this mess up," he said quickly.<br>The girl nodded, quickly gathered up the glass, and left, her cheeks flushed.

* * *

><p>John Owens contemptuously glared at the retreating form of the stewardess, shaking his head with exasperation. <em>'Is it too much for the damn company to hire more competent staff?'<em> Owens wondered bitterly.

Turning back to face the gentleman whose sleep the girl had stupidly interrupted, he gave an apologetic nod.  
>"I apologize for interrupting your sleep, sir. She's new to the job," he explained.<br>"That's fine," the gentleman assured, his voice deep and resonant yet smooth like liquid silver, "If you don't mind my asking, how much longer do we have to wait?"

Taking out his pocket watch, Owens cast a glance down to check.

"At the rate we're going, we should arrive at Raccoon City by 10:30," he replied.

_'Maybe a little later.'_ Owens added mentally. If it weren't for that stop, they wouldn't be behind schedule. Straightening his face, he tried to force on a polite smile. "Would you like something to drink, sir?"

"I'm quite alright, thank you."  
>"Well then, I hope you enjoy the ride." Owens beamed, his heart thumping like a hammer slamming repeatedly down on a nail. Breaking away from the passenger, he moved carefully toward his work station at the back. As soon as he was far enough away from the seated figure, he quietly released a sigh of relief before turning back to look at him. God, that man frightened him! Despite having met a number of curious characters on the job throughout the years, from men who whistled through their nostrils when they were drunk to performance artists, there had never been anyone to Owens' recollection like the man sitting down. The figure was seven feet tall, his thin frame clad in a vibrant red trench coat, his collar raised. On his feet were long leather boots that extended above the ankle but six inches below the knee. A pair of silver pauldrons adorned his shoulders, both of which were decorated with what appeared to be a single cross.<p>

'_No, not a cross.' _Owens corrected himself as he squinted at the symbol. From the eight different points, it appeared to represent a star.  
>Most of the man's head was concealed by the coat's red hood, which clung tightly around his forehead and neck. The face was the only area where skin was exposed, the stark whiteness of it making the attendant's own crawl with revulsion. The absence of expression gave it a strangely artificial and mask-like appearance, while the color, he felt, was suited to either that of a worm or a corpse. With its pronounced cheekbones, the face's long, thin, narrow and angular frame, Owens was vividly reminded of a wolf. There was also something feminine about it, too, though he could not put his finger on what that could be.<p>

'_Perhaps it had to do with the shape of the eyes?'_ he wondered puzzlingly.

Thin eye brows were featured over a nose that was slightly long, sharp yet straight. The nose itself was a feature on the face that made it distinctly lupine, its tip perfectly rounded, neither bulbous nor flat. Underneath the nose were thin lips which were complimented by a long chiselled jaw with a pronounced chin. To Owens, his face would have been considered striking if not for the pair of vicious-looking scars that adorned it. Equal in length, the first pair ran horizontally across his cheeks, barely half an inch under the eyes and approximately one and a half inch long. The second pair, despite being of the same size, was gruesomely more hideous. Two slit-like marks ran symmetrically down from both sides of his brow, along the centre of his eyes and past the nostrils. The edges of the downward sections rested only about half an inch from the corners of the mouth. Taken together with the man's ghostly white skin, the scars appeared disturbingly reminiscent to the slit-like markings seen on clowns, a group that the attendant himself had despised since he was eleven.  
><em>'No doubt one of those damn cultists that I've been hearing about.' <em>Owens thought to himself. Lately, there were a number of reports suggesting cult activity within Raccoon City, some of which included murder. The man's appearance was far from coincidental.  
>The red-clad figure that was sitting quietly in his seat must be one of those creepy occult freaks. Owens was certain of it. Why else would the man have those scars across his face?<br>Even his sense of fashion seemed to support the notion.  
>A few hours earlier, when he was going around serving drinks, Owens had approached the seated figure to offer him something, but the passenger's attention was completely fixated on his own arms, which appeared slightly long. Curious to see what he was doing, the attendant had crept up close enough to peer over his chair. The coat's sleeve was pulled up, allowing him to see what was worn underneath. At first, Owens had wanted to pull back, feeling that he was becoming to snoopy for his own good, but what had caught his attention was the gauntlet or arm guard that was protectively wrapped around the passenger's entire forearm, right down to the fingers. Brass rings were pushed up close to the knuckles, tightly restraining the fabric of his gloves and giving prominence to the bones in his hand. In a gratuitous display of his taste for the macabre, black and claw-like decorations, possibly made from ivory and approximately an inch long, adorned the tips of each digit. A similarly-concealed hand worked as it finished tightening on a buckle before proceeding to roll the sleeve back down. When Owens had called for his attention, asking if he wanted a beverage, the figure had immediately turned to face him.<p>

The attendant shuddered as he forcibly called back the memory of the stare-off that had followed.

Fashion and gigantic stature aside, what had inspired feelings of morbid fascination and unease were the eyes, which gave the figure a genuinely haunting and otherworldly air. The conjunctivas in both eyeballs, rather than being white as one would expect in a normal person, were strangely violet and luminescent, the irises slightly lighter in colour. Even more bizarre were the pupils. Rather than being rounded, both were slitted, reminding Owens of either a cat or snake.

The stare-off had also revealed a feature that had him shift with discomfort the more he thought about it - the uncanny ability to penetrate into a person's mental faculties. The attendant recalled how his body had stiffened instinctively upon meeting the man's gaze, put off by its intensity. It felt like he was being scrutinized by the lenses of security cameras.

A strange sensation had crept through Owens as he stared into those eyes, one that he very rarely felt on the job. Fear. Fear in its purest form.

The gentleman had seemed to notice the effect his gaze had on him and apologized, replying that he wasn't thirsty. After making a second apology for making him feel uncomfortable, the figure had turned away, letting Owens to continue his duties.

The attendant stared uneasily at the seat. There was something about the figure that brought ominous premonitions of death. Part of Owens, the superstitious side, wanted him off the train, but the other, more rational part made him more reflective.  
><em>'What are you thinking?' <em>he thought to himself.  
>Here he was making assumptions about this strange man, working himself up to the point of hysteria when there was hardly anything to support any suspicions that he was a threat. Certainly, the man's seemingly supernatural appearance contributed to no small extent, but there was hardly anything about him in terms of his behaviour that seemed malevolent.<br>_'Besides, he was rather courteous.' _Owens thought reflectively.

Despite the penetrating quality of his stare, there was a warmth that seemed to put aside any notions of menace. The man was very soft-spoken and considerate, if not somewhat nervous. Being around people probably wasn't his forte, but something about him suggested that he was in anticipation of an upcoming event.

Owens frowned.

'_Maybe I'm reading too much into him.' _He thought to himself.

With that belief comforting him, the attendant turned his attention to more important tasks at hand.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, outside of the train, standing on a mountain peak overlooking the railway, glancing down, a figure stood. He was a man in his early twenties, with long brown hair, clad in a strange white robe sown in such a way that it resembled a flower. Parts of it were decorated with a fleur-de-lis type of pattern. Beneath his unclad feet, the ground came alive with hundreds of leeches. He glared spitefully at the train. The moon was shining behind him, giving him the appearance of an avenging angel or of Minos passing judgement onto the damned. With that, he started to sing.<p>

* * *

><p>The red-clad figure stirred from his slumber, his ears straining at the sound of a high-pitched frequency. His violet, orb-like eyes peeled themselves open before narrowing dangerously.<p>

Rising to his full height, he abruptly stepped out onto the hall floor, glancing around, his lips curled in a snarl, revealing sharp canines and incisors as he drew in breath through his teeth with a hiss, causing many of the people standing next to him to back away fearfully. The figure unbuttoned his coat and reached inside, slowly drawing out a pair of small swords, causing the other passengers to cry out in alarm. Each sword had an elaborate crossguard, with one portion of it noticeably extended upward into a distinctively prong-like shape behind the blade, while the rest of it was encircled protectively around the fist. As the giant raised the exotic blades, the passengers let out an exclamation of terror.

* * *

><p>Jed Charles sat on the toilet seat lid as he listened.<p>

As a conductor, he rarely had any concerns. The job was dull, but it had some lovely-looking female attendants. Hardly anything happened. When he got into the washroom, the only concern that he had earlier was for his bloated stomach, the result of eating his wife's bean casserole. For a moment, he wondered if the pain that he felt was a sign of food poisoning.

'_Possibly intentional.'_ Came the thought. Bitch.

Sighing loudly with relief as he felt himself deflate, Jed finished what he was doing. Standing up and zipping himself up, he began to enjoy the newly discovered space that his pants had to offer.

Life was good. Now, about those lovely ladies...

Jed had just barely buckled himself when he heard the mutterings outside. They were barely audible, but Jed was able to sense something within their tones. He didn't like it. As he tried to listen in, the mutterings were promptly followed by screams and shouts, causing him to collapse onto the toilet seat.

Jed listened as a mob started to pound at nearby exits. Among the cacophony of noise, he heard a man shout for help. Something about a psycho and knives.

The bean casserole was starting to crawl upward to say hello.

A monstrous howl or warcry echoed throughout the train, followed by the sounds of glass being smashed. The screams escalated into a nightmarish crescendo of fear and agony, the very sounds of hell itself. Recollections of Vietnam came back to haunt the conductor as he sat there shaking like a leaf, his heart pounding his ears, his stomach doing flips and tying itself into knots.  
>The door was kicked open, causing the attendant to cry out and leap back in his seat. He whimpered and pled incessantly, not caring for the fact that he was now releasing his bowels into his trousers as demonic eyes stared down at him.<p> 


	2. Chapter One: Little Red Riding Hood

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter One: Little Red Riding Hood**

The rain pattered down onto the forest as a helicopter flew through the skies above.

Barely visible on the Huey's belly were the words 'S.T.A.R.S.- Special Tactics And Rescue Services' along with its famed logo, which featured a collection of its namesake.

One of the most prestigious and elite groups within the Raccoon City Police Department, the S.T.A.R.S. unit, consisting of Alpha and Bravo Teams, was built to counter terrorist activity within Raccoon City, whether it was cult-based or not.

Though a small and quiet town, Raccoon City was infamous for its crime rate and cult-related murders.

To understand these phenomena, one would have to look at its history.

Although there were citizens who would proclaim that the humble beginnings of the town started around 1853, five years after the Mexican War, in the form of a fur-trading settlement whose chief products were the beautiful raccoon pelts, the origins of Raccoon City were much more contemporary.

Originally an agricultural-based area, it was later rebuilt in 1968 thanks to the extensive building renovations contributed by the Umbrella Corporation, a small pharmaceutical company whose products lined the shelves of most consumers. Many of the people that lived in this region, mostly of lower class status, were unable to keep up with the swift changes that occurred around them and soon found themselves left behind. To cope with their predicaments, they would turn to one of various different sources for solace, such as alcohol, drugs, religion, and sex. Suicide, while not the norm within the city, was occasionally reported. Although there were programs that allowed some of these people a chance to get back on their feet, there were those who found themselves unable to even raise their fingers.

Religion was not a problem until the 1990s. While its practice could be considered cathartic for the human spirit, that doesn't mean it would have been any less lethal. Such was the case in Raccoon City when on August 27th, 1996, a cult of devil worshipers slaughtered 15-year-old Michelle Stevenson at the Raccoon City Park at quarter-to-midnight. Witnesses had only watched as the young girl tried to call for help, believing at the time that "it wasn't their place to intervene."

The next morning, rather than celebrating one of the town festivals as was planned and hoped, the populace was chilled to find the girl's body mounted on a small podium near the fountain, surrounded by burnt-out candles and with her heart ritually removed.

Newscasters and other parasitical journalists started to sensationalize the tragedy, declaring in headlines that Raccoon City had become a haven for occult worshipers and that it was becoming a "morally unfit" place to live in. Interviews with the victim's tearful family served to fuel those feelings of public discontentment. By then, the RPD and the Mayor's Office were faced with an incredibly volatile situation.

Things worsened after an article by Ben Bertolucci from the Raccoon City Press was made public. Not only were key details revealed about the investigation, but there came terrible suggestions that Stevenson's murder was _the only case made known_ to both police and the public, and that the actual number of ritual murders could in fact be much _higher_ than anticipated.

This new revelation caused a public outrage, which led to public protests and, in some occasions, riots.

Under such circumstances, one would have thought that the person in power would collapse under such strain and check him or herself into the nearest asylum. However, in a brilliant gesture of political maneuvering, Mayor Michael Warren utilized that outrage to his advantage. A few days after the protests, he had made the announcement of a special task force being developed within the Raccoon Police Department to not only deal with the city's growing crime rate, but to also keep such a tragedy from reoccurring. Christening the unit as "S.T.A.R.S.," the Mayor proclaimed that the task force would be "the guiding light to our city's future." While some members of the police force quietly shared amongst themselves a certain level of cynicism and derision for the newly developed program, the proposal was received with positive results, its popularity stemming from a combination of timing, careful campaigning, and Mayor Warren's own charisma.

Since the unit's introduction, Raccoon City was finally finding some level of stability. Granted, there was still the occasional robbery or drug bust, but nothing was ever perfect.

More recently, however, things started to go downhill when a group of ten to twelve individuals murdered 23-year-old college student Jennifer Wallace. Following her death was a string of other murders. In each grisly case following Wallace's death, the modus operandi of this group remained consistent: all of their victims were consumed.

Due to the increasing body count as well as pressure from the higher echelons in RPD, S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was deployed to investigate the Arklay Mountains since the number of attacks there were frequent.

Onboard the Huey, Captain Enrico Marini, a tall figure of Hispanic descent, sat in silence. Dressed in a white shirt, green combat pants and a black combat vest, his skin and facial features made him appear as if he were carved from bronze. On his upper lip was a neatly trimmed mustache, his black hair short and neatly brushed. Deep-set eyes conveyed to all a confident air of authority and a no-nonsense attitude as he surveyed the younger members of his team.

Seated to his left was Forest Speyer, Bravo's weapons specialist and vehicle-maintenance expert. Around six feet in height and in his early twenties, Forest was a proud Texan, with shoulder-length black hair greasily slicked back. Despite the sternness of his features, there was a laid-back quality in his manner and speech, which would sound out as a drawl. Marini privately scowled, noting how his unkempt manner and laid-back personality made him look like a teenager. Part of the Bravo leader envied Forest's youthfulness; it made him feel significantly older, despite only being thirty-eight.

On Marini's right was Kenneth J. Sullivan, Bravo Team's field chemist. The sole African-American member in S.T.A.R.S., Sullivan wore a green combat vest, a bright yellow shirt, and green combat pants. He was one of the quietest people in the group, hardly ever muttering more than a few words.

Ignoring the monotonous drone and thumping of the engine and propeller, Marini turned his attention to Bravo Team's newest addition, eighteen year-old Rebecca Chambers, as she stared out through the window. The youngest person within the entire unit, Rebecca had brown hair done in a short bob-style, her short nose and chin complimenting her soft cheeks and pink lips. Large green eyes analytically searched through the woods for signs of disturbance. A thin white vest that had a red cross on the back was worn over a green short-sleeved shirt. Her legs, clad in green pants with the hems rolled up, were partially crossed. Short black boots tapped lightly along the cabin floor to the beat of the propeller.

While most of Bravo Team, including the pilot Kevin Dooley, seemed to get along well with her, his co-pilot Edward Dewey was not as welcoming.

"Nervous, rookie?" A voice asked. Marini watched as she turned to the source. Seated on Rebecca's left was Richard Aiken, Bravo's communications specialist. Mid-twenties with short, dirty-blonde hair carefully done in a brush cut, his attire consisted of green combat pants, an orange kevlar combat vest and a matching-colored shirt, with black fingerless gloves. One of the less intimidating men of S.T.A.R.S., his face conveyed a sense of warmth.

"A little." Rebecca admitted.

Richard smiled.

"Don't worry about it," he said, "the first mission is always the scariest to a recruit. Nothing to worry about."

"You done babying her?" Dewey asked. his voice deep and laced somewhat with contempt.

The leader of the team frowned with disapproval.

"Is there a problem, Dewey?" Marini asked, his tone dark.

"Not at all, sir." he said, rolling his eyes.

Aiken turned to face Rebecca.

"Don't mind him, he just dislikes rookies in general." He explained.

"You would too if one nearly shot you in the head." Dewey grumbled.

"Enough!" Marini snapped. "I don't want to hear another word from you. Is that clear?"

The co-pilot gave a slight huff in response.

Settling down, Marini turned away from him in irritation.

_'I'm too old for this shit.'_ Was the thought.

Though down-right rude, Marini understood Dewey's reaction. Despite the fact that most of the recruits were treated with the same level of disinterest on their first day as with any profession, that hadn't stopped some of them from being arrogant and reckless enough to cause trouble for the team.

For Marini, it was hard to tell what to expect.

Rebecca was something of an enigma.

From her dossier, she came from a middle-class family, her mother being a veterinarian, while her father was an engineer who had served time in the Army. She had no siblings or close relatives aside from her parents. The dossier indicated that she was remarkably intelligent, having just graduated from university quite recently with a degree in Biomedical Sciences and was currently working toward her Master's.

And yet, despite these qualifications, she had decided to take up a career in law enforcement.

When they first met, Marini couldn't help but feel some disapproval at the sight of her. Personality-wise, she was polite, if not a little shy, but what worried him was how fit she was for the Job, especially when confronting its darker, more gruelling aspects. With her bright green eyes, she looked incredibly young, reminding him heavily of his own daughter Paquita.

'_She shouldn't be here.' _Marini thought to himself.

She shouldn't be exposed to the kind of crap that police officers usually find themselves with on a daily basis.

Marini privately wondered how she was able to gain acceptance. She had barely passed her physical, a minor issue being that she was underweight, weighing no more than ninety-three pounds. A key factor was probably the man in charge of the Department, Chief Brian Irons. A boar and a sleazeball, Irons had a penchant for eying some of the female staff like they were meat, a look that was neither respectful nor appropriate for someone in his position of authority. Even less known were some of the troubling accounts from his youth. Were there questionable intentions on his part for Rebecca?

He felt like vomiting at the thought.

BANG!

The helicopter shook for a brief moment before Dooley managed to regain control. An alarm blared loudly as a red light flickered in the helicopter's cabin.

"Ah shit," Dooley swore.

"What happened?!" Marini demanded.

"One of the engines blew." he explained. "Everyone, brace yourselves, we're going to be performing an emergency landing!"

* * *

><p>In the darkness and the rain, the helicopter swayed and rotated in a small circle.<p>

* * *

><p>Rebecca felt her heart beating faster than ever.<p>

She felt like she was going to throw up, and would have had she not closed her eyes.

'_Oh God, please don't let it end here!'_ She prayed.

* * *

><p>The Huey shuddered as its tail section made contact with a tree, causing the helicopter to swerve over to the right.<p>

* * *

><p>Rebecca felt a sizeable bump as the chopper landed.<p>

"EVERYONE OUT!" shouted Marini.

All of them got up from their seats and made their way out the door, taking their weapons with them. The young S.T.A.R.S. medic grabbed her backpack as she left her seat.

"GO! GO! GO!" The large Hispanic man boomed.

Rebecca's small frame emerged from the chopper, her legs shaking, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. It was a wonder that she hadn't peed herself.

'_Thank you, God. Thank you, thank you, thank you!'_ She silently prayed.

* * *

><p>The forest was incredibly dark. Hardly anything was visible.<p>

After clearing themselves from the helicopter, Marini turned to the rest of Bravo Team.

"Is everyone okay?" He asked with concern.

"I'm fine, sir." Kenneth said.

"I'm good." Forest drawled.

Marini looked over to Rebecca, noting how small she was compared to the other Bravos. Whereas he and Dewey stood around six feet, Rebecca stood at five foot three. There was something slightly comical about the sight of this small girl amongst the larger S.T.A.R.S. members. Yet another reminder of how misplaced she seemed to be.

"You alright, Chambers?"

"Y-yeah, just a little shook up, sir." She replied.

Marini nodded and looked around at the others.

"Alright. Dooley, get on the radio and contact HQ. Report our situation to them." He ordered.

Dooley nodded as he headed back to the chopper.

"The rest of you, check the surrounding area and establish a perimeter," Marini continued, "we need to secure the location. Six meter spread. I want to be able to see you at all times. Rebecca, you're with me."

Having the rookie next to him was understandable. The most valuable person within the team was the one who's able to give first aid.

Acting on Marini's orders, the group began their journey, hoping they would be able to find their way back to the city in one piece.

* * *

><p>The S.T.A.R.S. officers carefully stalked their way through the dark and the rain with their weapons readied, the highbeams of their mounted lights piercing through the thick shadows.<p>

Richard Aiken swore at the unrelenting downpour. By the end of tonight, he'll probably get a cold. The rookie sneezed.

_'Looks like I'm not going to be the only one.'_ He corrected himself.

"Bless you." Aiken said

"Thank you." She replied. As she looked around, a shiver rippled through her small form.

"Are you okay, Rebecca?" He asked with concern.

She nodded.

"I'm alright. I was just thinking about this place, that's all. Everything about it feels so...different... than the last time that I was here."

"You've been here before?" He said with surprise.

Rebecca gave a half nod.

"Well, parts of this area. I used to come around to study local herbs for my dissertation," she explained, "and whenever I came to this forest, you would always hear some of the local fauna."

Richard blinked.

"Animals."

"Oh." He said dumbly.

Trying to hide his embarrassment, he made her continue.

"So why bring that up?" Richard asked.

"It was never this quiet."

Richard understood what she meant. The silence was unnerving. Something unnatural.

"Maybe the animals were spooked by the storm," he replied, "like us."

Rebecca snorted.

"Yeah, maybe-"

"Cut the chatter, you two." Marini ordered. "We have a job to do."

With that remark, the two Bravo members fell silent.

* * *

><p>Twenty minutes further in the thicket and one trip over a log later produced nothing but a feeling of embarrassment in Rebecca.<p>

_'Way to go, dork.'_ She thought scoldingly as she picked herself up, hoping that the mist that was currently enveloping the land was thick enough to conceal her blunder.

Brushing herself off, she casted a glance around, finding to her surprise that she was ahead of everyone else. The entire forest seemed absolutely lifeless. Trees that were made visible by the occasional gleam of moonlight or by lighting strikes became distorted into ghoulish skeletal fingers. Unconsciously shivering, she kept moving forward, lost in her thoughts until the sound of mud slapping caused her to look up to find herself in a clearing with a dirt road and an up-turned van. From the lettering, it was military.

"Captain!" Rebecca cried out, pointing to the vehicle. "Over here!"

* * *

><p>As the group hustled over to her position, the Bravo Captain shook his head.<p>

'_Damn, what a mess.'_ Marini thought to himself.

His face darkened as he gazed upon the vehicle. Originally a Force Recon Marine, Marini had recognized it as an MP vehicle, the kind used for escorting convicted felons.

"Check the area for survivors." He barked.

Bravo Team acted swiftly, checking around the crash scene for any survivors as well as making sure there weren't any hazards. What they found was grim. All of the MPs were killed. Many of them were mauled, probably by scavengers. One had died from a broken neck. What made the situation worse was the fact that their prisoner's body wasn't found among them.

Rebecca found a report, detailing the criminal's profile.

"'Court Order for transportation,'" she read aloud, "'Prisoner: William 'Billy' Coen. Ex-Lieutenant, twenty-six years old. Court-marshaled and condemned to death, July 22nd. Prisoner is to be transported to Regarthon Base-'"

Dewey snatched the report from Rebecca's hand.

"'For execution.'" She finished, somewhat stunned by his rudeness.

Dewey's gaze fastened on Coen's photo, full of hatred.

"Bastard." He spat venomously. "These men were only doing their jobs."

Marini knew full well the reason for Dewey's behavior. From their uniforms and insignia, the MPs were Marines. Dewey himself was a Marine before joining S.T.A.R.S., and one of the mottos that Marines lived by was "Once a Marine, always a Marine." It was a deeply entrenched value, one that Marini was firmly familiar with, having served as a Force Recon Marine captain for eight years before finally joining S.T.A.R.S. after the birth of his second daughter. Taking the file from Dewey, Marini's eyes scoured through. Looking up from the file, his eyes became cold and alert.

"Alright, Aiken, Chambers, Sullivan, you're with me. Take extreme caution, our friend is brutal and ruthless." He said in an authoritative voice. "Dewey, Speyer, I need you two to hustle to the chopper and see if you could repair it."

"Yes sir." Both said at the same time.

Marini watched them disappear together into the mist. He prayed that they wouldn't have any problems getting back. Turning back to the remainder of his team, Marini opened his mouth to speak when his radio went off.

"Captain, are you there? Over." Dooley's voice crackled.

Raising up his radio, Marini pressed into the receiver.

"Marini here. Any word from dispatch?"

Click.

"Orders are still standing. We just need to check the condition of our vehicle and report back to HQ," Dooley responded.

"Got you covered. Dewey and Speyer are heading back right now." Marini replied. "Also, be advised, we just found a crashed MP vehicle and are on the hunt for an escaped convict named Billy Coen. Suspect is five-foot six, mid-twenties, Caucasian, brown hair that's average in length and brushed back. Report that to HQ and keep an eye out for him. If you see him, take extreme caution."

"What about clothing?"

"Butt-naked for all I know. Care to use your imagination?"

"I'd rather not." Dooley laughed.

"Take care, Kev."

"Roger. Over and out."

Click.

He looked over at the others.

"Come on, ladies." Marini said as he checked his weapon. "I don't want to be in the rain all night. Let's find the son of a bitch before we catch our deaths out here."

"Yes, sir."

Together, the four S.T.A.R.S. members disappeared within the treeline.

* * *

><p>Rebecca looked around worriedly for her comrades. Initially, she had been close to the Captain's side, but as they proceeded further into the wood, Rebecca became aware of something hard pressing against the sole of her foot. At first, she tried to ignore it, but each step became increasingly uncomfortable.<p>

Squirming and shuffling with discomfort, she had taken off her boot and shook out some pebbles. Once finished, she looked back up only to find that her team had continued on without her, leaving her alone. Rebecca had tried calling out their names, but stopped herself after the fifth call.

She wanted to use the radio, but a part of the girl felt worried about being reprimanded by her CO for her carelessness.

"Great way to make an impression on the first day." She muttered aloud.

The forest was eerily quiet aside from the pitter-pattering of rain, thick with the smell of wet leaves and grass. Nothing stirred, yet the girl had the vague suspicion of being watched. Rebecca prayed that it was just a squirrel or even an owl, and not some predator. The last thing she needed was to be in the presence of some occult-worshipping psychotic that wanted to use her for some sacrifice.

'_I hope it's not Coen, either.'_ She thought sickly.

Pulling a brown wallet from her pants pocket, Rebecca paused to briefly look over her new S.T.A.R.S. badge and ID. Thoughts and doubts filled her mind.

'_Is this truly the right path to take?'_ She wondered.

Was this decision the right one and will it solve her own problems?

She sighed with uncertainty, putting it back into her pants pocket.

Rebecca clenched her weapon, a standard-issue M92F Beretta handgun. Known as the 'Samurai Edge,' it was modified and custom-made specifically for S.T.A.R.S. officers, compliments to the police department by gunshop owner Robert Kendo. With an ammo capacity of ten rounds per clip, the Samurai Edge was a weapon to be reckoned with. The medic gripped her weapon tightly as she surveyed her surroundings before proceeding forward.

As she turned her body through the trees and bushes, searching carefully through the forest for any sign of Coen, wary of any possible wild life concealed within the grass, something large entered her sight. Moving closer, Rebecca's eyes wrinkled in surprise at her newest discovery.

'_What's a train doing here, of all places?'_ She wondered.

Why have they stopped?

The train, labelled as the Ecliptic Express, was a massive metal monstrosity that had eight passenger cars, four of which were separated by what looked like a large storage container. A flash of lightning illuminated harsh jagged edges on the container's torn roof, the metal practically peeled outward like a sardine can. Rebecca initially thought that there had been an explosion of some kind, but the lack of burn marks and flames proved otherwise. Seeing the outwardly bent metal, she felt a certain level of unease.

What the hell could have caused this sort of damage?

"Time for some answers." She said to herself.

Approaching the second car behind the metal container, she tried to peer through its window. Unfortunately, the darkness of the glass made it difficult for her to see what was happening within. Carefully, she started to climb up its step, grabbing onto a rail to hoist herself up. Upon glancing up, the girl paused. The car's dark frame loomed over her own. For a brief moment, Rebecca hesitated on its step. The way it appeared within the shadows was ominous and foreboding. At a glance, one would think that they were approaching the gates to hell.

'_Abandon hope all ye who enter._' she thought sardonically as she entered.

* * *

><p>At the front of the train, a figure stiffly raised its head from the floor. It reached up and clutched onto the control panel, unknowingly activating the train speakers.<p>

* * *

><p>Rebecca found herself in a small passage linking the cars together. There were three doors ahead of her. The first one straight ahead led back out on the otherside. The other two, both of which were sliding doors, that were on her left and right facing each other led to the other cars.<p>

She sighed.

So, which one, door number one or door number two?

Before she could even decide which to explore first, Rebecca stopped as she listened to the train's speakers playing in the background.

'_Splish Splash,  
>I was takin' a bath.'<em>

At that exact moment, Rebecca detected a commotion within the room on her left-hand side. With weapon ready, the S.T.A.R.S. medic approached the sliding door. As the train door opened, an overwhelming sense of dread crept through her body as she took in the sight.

'_All on a Saturday Night!_

_YEAAAH!_

_Rub dub,_

_Just relaxin' in the tub,_

_Thinkin' everything was alright!'_

The car had little to no lighting within its long hallway, but there was just enough to display in horrific detail the phantasmagoric scene before her. Blood was everywhere. Corpses littered the floor and seats, many of them missing limbs, some of them missing their heads. Trailing her eyes toward the center of the car, Rebecca felt her joints become heavier and painfully sore, her pulse quickening as she caught sight of the one responsible. Standing with his back towards her was a massive figure, his head and thin frame concealed beneath a trench coat with a hood that was the color of blood. The man was in the process of removing his weapon, an exotic-looking sword that had a hand guard along the front as well as a prong-like guard that extended upward behind the blade itself, from a passenger's skull. In his other hand, an identical sword was held defensively. After the blade was removed, the passenger fell back with a thud.

Click.

Rebecca raised her gun to eye level.

"Drop the weapons." she said with determination.

The figure turned to face her. What she saw made her gasp.

'_Well I stepped out the tub, _

_Put my feet on the floor._

_I wrapped a towel around me and_

_Opened the door,  
>And then a,<em>

_SPLISH SPLASH!_

_I jumped back in the bath, _

_For how was I to know there was a party goin' on?'_


	3. Chapter Two: The Encounter

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Two: The Encounter**

Rebecca's eyes widened as she gazed upon the man's, or rather _boy's_, face.

At first, she thought that the stark whiteness of the skin was the result of make-up, but further inspection revealed that train of thought to be false. The face was strangely lupine, especially with its slightly long, sharp yet straight nose and chiseled features. It was strikingly handsome, if not strangely androgynous, but what made the face lose its attractive qualities, aside from the symmetrical and severe-looking facial scars that adorned it, was the total absence of expression and emotion. Taken together with the dim lighting of the compartment, his features appeared grotesquely reminiscent to waxen death masks that Rebecca had seen on display at Raccoon City's Museum of Natural History. Tracing her gaze upward, her attention shifted from the flinch-inducing slit marks to the eyes, struck by their abnormalities. Unusual coloration aside, the irises were what stuck out the most to her. Slitted like the facial scars that ran down both sides of his cheeks, Rebecca found herself recalling some of the cats that her mom had worked with at the veterinary clinic.

'_Must be contac lenses._' She reasoned nervously to herself.

Bobby Darin's Splish Splash continued to play on a loop, although it was no longer fluid in its presentation. From the sounds made on the speaker, the recorder or CD player onboard somehow sustained damage. As a result, the music intensified the room's nightmare quality. Parts of the lyrics would often be repeated. The tempo alternated from normal to low pitch. The playful nature of the song and the lyricism of the voice was distorted, transforming it into a sputtering mockery of its original self.

'_SPPPPplishing and a SPPPPPplashi - SHIRKK - Splishing and a Spla - SHIRK..SHIING and A SPLA - SHIRK...Moving-SHIRK...moving...moving...'_ Bobby Darin repeated.

The repetition of the song and the incessant scratching accompanying it was starting to grate on Rebecca's already fragile nerves. Bile slowly started crawl up the back of her throat, though it took considerable effort to swallow and keep the salmon dinner down.

'_MOOOVVIIIIING and a GROOOOOVIIIIINNNNGGGUH...'_

Slowly, the song became nothing more than a series of grotesque groans, squeaks and cracklings, before finally dissipating into silence. Rebecca released a breath, her knees trembling, swallowing once again in nervousness.

During that extended period of silence, neither figure spoke.

Rebecca felt her heart beat heavily within her chest. He made no movement. He seemed to be studying her, his gaze never faltering from her face, from her eyes in particular. She could almost feel the intensity of his stare. His eyes had not seemed menacing, however. It was a little unsettling. Under normal circumstances, she would have called them kind, gentle even.

His eyes shifted downward.

She frowned. Great, just what she needed, a creepy occultist pervert checking her out.

She tried to toughen herself, though her forehead was covered in sweat.

"Eyes up here, creep!" She said in an authoritative voice.

The figure looked up into her eyes.

"You're a...star?" He asked in a quiet and emotionless voice that lacked any sort of distinct accent, though there was some hint of surprise in his tone.

"Huh?" She said, startled.

The figure glanced down again before looking back up to her eyes. Rebecca then realized that he was looking at the S.T.A.R.S. logo on her sleeves.

"Yes, I'm Rebecca Chambers of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team," she replied, "though that's Officer Chambers to you. Now put down the weapons and kick them aside."

She said the last part coldly.

The figure regarded her. Rebecca thought that she had detected a flash of emotion within his eyes, but it had passed by so quickly that she never had a chance to determine what it was.

'_What was that look?'_ She wondered.

To her, it looked like a combination of both joy and relief, though she was not entirely certain. She mentally shook her head from these thoughts. She waited nervously as the figure studied her. She thought that he was going to try and pull something.

Instead, to her surprise, he complied with her order.

"As you wish." The figure said, his voice deep and unearthly.

After he straightened himself, Rebecca studied him carefully. His sloped shoulders revealed to her a person of solemness. His form, though erect, was tense, as if expecting something to happen at a moment's notice. She noted how strange his movements were. The way he would slightly tilt and turn either his head or neck reminded the medic heavily of an animal. To the Bravo, it was if the boy was..._feeling_...the environment around him, like a snake.

Her attention shifted over to the coat. Rather than having buttons or a zipper, seven buckles held it closed from the top of the torso down to the waist. The buckles inspired feelings of unease, for they somehow reminded her of sutures or medical clamps.

'_He must have intended for this sort of reaction.'_ She reasoned.

"Remove the hood and the contac lenses from your eyes." The young medic ordered.

He looked down.

"I'm afraid that I can't comply with the latter." The boy said.

"Why's that?"

"These eyes, strange as they may be, were the ones that I was born with."

Rebecca was taken aback by this revelation. She had heard of all sorts of conditions, but never had she heard of an eye condition such as his.

"I shall, however, do as you ask with the former." He said.

The figure lowered down his hood slowly in compliance, revealing, to her surprise, short yet thick, wavy and mane-like hair that was silver in color. Neatly brushed back in a regent style with slight sideburns, it gave him a strikingly aristocratic yet feral quality. His ears, which were long and pointed, protruded slightly outward, further increasing the likeness to a wolf. Despite his attempt to keep his his hair straight, a few strands of hair covered his short forehead. For a brief moment, Rebecca felt a certain wave of nostalgia as she studied the youth's face. He reminded her of a dog that she used to love as a kid, a Spitz that used to follow and protect her from bullies.

"Snowball." She unconsciously murmured.

In a bizarrely coincidental act, the boy cocked his head to the side like a dog, puzzled.

For a brief moment, Rebecca was stunned by what had just occurred, but quickly regained her composure, remembering the fact that now was not the time for reminiscence.

'_This...monster,'_ she told herself, _'is nothing at all like my beloved Snowball. He had just killed the passengers onboard. People who only wanted to relax and probably see their families.'_

At the mere mention of family, Rebecca thought about her mother and the situation that she was in. She felt her jaw clench, her face heated up. She willed herself not to cry.

"Arms up against the wall, now!" She snapped, transferring that anger onto the albino.

Though Rebecca was far from intimidating, the boy complied with her request. She patted him down, checking for any hidden weapons, all the while keeping an eye on him. The Bravo stopped momentarily as she felt something in his right side pocket. Reaching in, she extracted a thick black wallet.

Rebecca peered into its contents and found the identity of the strange figure before her.

"'Jack Wolf.'" She read aloud from his library card. To her surprise, he was the same age as her, their birthdays seven days apart.

"My adopted name," the giant spoke, causing the medic to look up from the card, "though I prefer to be called by my birth name."

"Which is?"

"Star."

"Jack Star?"

"No, just Star."

"Well then, Mr. 'Star,' I hope you enjoy prison," Rebecca said hatefully as she cuffed him, "you are under arrest."

Star turned his head to look at her, surprised.

"What for?" He asked.

"Take a guess. You have the right to remain silent." She started.

"I did not kill them." The red-clad giant stated, realizing what she was referring to.

"You have the right to an attorney. If you can't afford an attorney, we will provide you with one." Rebecca continued.

"My fellow passengers and I were attacked."

"Really? That's not what it looked like to me," she said cynically, "Anything you say will be used against you in the court of law."

"What you saw was an act of self-defense. I tried to protect them," Star continued, turning his head away, "only...I failed."

Rebecca hesitated, though she kept her guard up. Though the giant before her was stoic in speech and expression, she detected something else within his tone. It was subtle, but she could clearly detect it. Sadness.

"So far, I'm the only survivor onboard. After the initial attack, the train stopped. I was trying to search for any other survivors. I thought I heard someone in here, but it only turned out to be the radio." He said. "Just when I was about to continue with my search, the bodies started to move and...attacked me."

Silence.

"Are you taking any medication that I should be made aware of?" She asked.

Star looked directly over his shoulder and gazed into her eyes.

"No." He said in his quiet, almost monotone voice.

After answering her question, he turned his gaze from her, focusing on the wall in front of him. Rebecca mentally thanked him for averting his eyes, noting how they seemed to penetrate her mental defenses.

Despite their weird features, there was no indication that he was high or drunk.

'_And now to test for the latter.'_ She thought to herself.

After cuffing the other hand, she kept her weapon steady in one hand and brought up a breathalyser.

"I'll need you to breathe into this." She said.

"I don't drink." He replied.

"Just breathe into it."

Turning to face her, he opened his mouth and exhaled into the device. After a few seconds, Rebecca pulled it away and read the results. To her surprise, his blood alcohol read at zero. She then extracted her radio.

"Captain, are you there? Over." She spoke into the radio, pressing down the transmitting button.

"Marini here. We've been trying to find you, where the hell have you been?!" The radio cracked angrily, causing her to wince. It was audible enough for her alone to hear, but barely. She felt slightly thankful for it, though. The last thing she needed was for the prisoner to hear of her humiliating circumstances.

"I have found a stranded train called the Ecliptic Express. There are numerous casualties onboard, but I have detained a suspect. I need assistance. Over" Rebecca replied.

"10-4. I'll contact Kenneth and Richard. We'll meet you there, just give us directions." Marini said.

While giving them directions as well as telling him which car she was in, Rebecca kept her eyes on Star. The youth had not moved from his position.

She sighed.

'_Good.'_ She thought to herself.

"Have you made contact with Coen yet?" Marini asked.

Rebecca felt her heart stop. She had forgotten all about Coen. After berating herself mentally for forgetting the fact that there were _two_ homicidal psychopaths, Rebecca sighed.

"Not yet, Captain." She replied.

"What about your captive?" The radio cracked.

She looked up at Star's back.

"Have you seen a man about five-foot six, mid-twenties, Caucasian, brown hair that's average in length and brushed back? Goes by the name Billy Coen?" She asked.

"No." Said the giant.

"Negative, sir." Rebecca replied.

"Hold your position, we'll be right down. And Rebecca, if you ever encounter Coen, be careful. According to the report, he had killed over twenty-three people. Take extreme caution. Over and out." Marini ordered.

Part of her felt sick.

'_Twenty-three people?'_ She thought to herself.

And that was not including the dead MPs.

Rebecca lowered her radio, slightly shook up, though she managed to regain control as she looked at her prisoner.

"Looks like I'll be keeping you company." She said.

"So it seems." Star agreed.

He then turned his head over his shoulder to face her.

"Officer Chambers?"

She tensed.

"Yes?"

"I want to apologize." He said.

"What for?" She asked, confused.

"For my lack of a proper introduction. You had introduced yourself and I should have responded in kind more quickly. My sincere apologies for my belated introduction." He replied.

This surprised her to no end. She searched his strange eyes but could not find any trace of deceit. He turned his face away shortly after his explanation.

'_What an odd person.'_ She thought to herself.

She did not know what to make of this enigmatic stranger.

Hopefully she will find the answers soon.

Outside, there was a very loud crack of thunder. Though it had startled her, she only gave it a quick glance before returning her eyes to the prisoner. If her gaze had lasted longer on the weather outside rather than on the giant in front of her, Rebecca would have witnessed a very unusual phenomenon.

* * *

><p>Half an hour after their return, Forest Speyer and Edward Dewey began their inspection of the Huey. From all appearances, the rotors appeared to have been undamaged, but what concerned them was the engine. Removing the panel from the back of the cabin, they stared at the mess that greeted them.<p>

"Goddamn it!" Speyer growled in frustration.

Kevin Dooley peaked over his shoulder as he stood out in the rain.

"A lot of noise I'm hearing. Everything okay with my dear Brigit?" He asked.

"Get fucked, Dooley!" Dewey barked in irritation. The pilot's face darkened as he raised a finger.

"Hey, don't take that tone with me! I didn't deserve that!"

The Bravo co-pilot sighed.

"Sorry."

Dooley's muscles relaxed upon hearing the apology.

"Good. Now, can you make repairs?"

"I would, if we had the right tools and parts." Dewey replied.

Speyer growled as he peered at the engine's condition.

"This is bullshit! Fucking bullshit! I had repaired this thing before we took off from base!" He said with frustration as he surveyed the wrecked engine, "How the hell did this happen?"

"Maybe you missed something." Dooley suggested.

The weapons specialist glared up at him.

"Don't you even think it." He growled.

Speyer, aside from being a weapons specialist and involved with vehicle maintenance, was renowned among S.T.A.R.S. for being a perfectionist, bordering on obsessive compulsive. When he was not having a competition with Alpha's point man, Chris Redfield, at the shooting gallery, he would spend hours just working on vehicles and checking each part carefully. Unfortunately, it was also a reason why he was behind on reports.

"Relax, Forest. He didn't mean anything, did you, Kev?" said Dewey.

Dooley nodded slowly, intimidated by the way the weapons specialist was glaring at him. The Bravo turned back to the engine.

"Whatever. I'm just glad that we managed to get a gyro stabilizer for this thing, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to fly in this weather. Hell, I'm surprised that this piece of shit was even able to land without crashing. What UH-1 model is this, 1960s?" He murmured.

"Hey! Don't talk that way about Brigit!" Dooley snapped protectively.

"Oh c'mon, Kev, even you have got to admit it's crap!"

"It's not that bad! It could have been worse!"

"It could have been a load better!"

"Guys, we should count ourselves lucky that we even _have_ a chopper." Dewey replied.

Speyer gave him a contemptuous look.

"You're right, and look at where it's gotten us." He said before looking back to the engine. "When we get back to the Station, I'm gonna give that fat hog Irons a piece of my mind for 'ironing' out the budget!"

"Fat chance that will do you." The co-pilot replied. "Five bucks say that he'll flat-out ignore you and continue to fondle himself in that creepy room with the stuffed animals."

His compatriots gave looks and groans of disgust.

"God, what's wrong with you?!" Speyer spat.

"So much for my fantasies of Kate Winslet." Dooley muttered. "Thanks to you, jackass, I'm gonna be stuck with that image for the rest of the damn night!"

"Not my fault that we have a freak for a boss." Dewey said with a shrug. "And to think that he wants to be _Mayor!_"

Speyer cringed.

"Could we just skip the subject please? Maybe have quiet time?" He growled.

For a few minutes, the trio remained silent until a radio started to beep. Glancing down, the pilot saw the light on his radio flicker as it picked up a signal.

"Dooley, are you there? Over." Marini's voice cracked.

Dooley pressed into the call button.

"Officer Dooley reporting, sir. How can I help?" He asked.

"What's the status of the chopper?"

"10-7. Brigit's totally FUBAR. We're going to need someone to take her in."

Marini swore on the other end. "That's not what I wanted to hear."

Dooley shrugged.

"Sorry, but there's nothing we can do. I'll try to get in contact with HQ and see if they can get someone up here."

"Sounds like a plan. Also, have we received any reports of a missing train?"

Dooley's brows furrowed in confusion.

"No, not at all, sir. Well, uh, not that I recall. Why?"

Click.

"We just got a Code 10 from the rookie. Said that she found a train north-east of your position called the Ecliptic Express. If what she said is true, we're going to need do a lot of medivacs." Marini explained.

"What are we looking at, train crash?"

Dooley heard him huff on the radio.

"Negative. I think those cultists raided the vehicle. I don't know the details, but Chambers managed to apprehend one of the perpetrators. Aiken, Sullivan and I are regrouping to meet up with her and to see if there are any other survivors onboard. Inform HQ pronto! Over and out." Marini ordered.

Click.

Dewey, Speyer and Dooley were stunned silent at the news.

"Jesus." The former murmured.

The latter shook his head.

"I hope they come out okay." He said.

CRACK!

Upon hearing the noise, Dooley looked upward.

"Holy crap, look what's happening to the sky!" The Bravo pilot exclaimed.

The two Bravos stopped what they were doing and turned to where Dooley was looking. All three were at a loss for words.

The clouds were swirling. At first blush, it looked almost like tornado weather, but there was no funnel shape that would connect with the ground. Clouds swelled and pulsed with a strange energy as pink lightning danced for several minutes along the sky before finally striking the ground thirty feet from the Bravo members, causing them to cuss out-loud. They half expected to be electrocuted, but to their surprise, that was not the case.

"What the hell is that?!" Speyer pointed, eyes wide open.

No one gave an answer. None of them knew what the hell was going on. Right where the lightning struck was a strange floating orb that glowed with a sinister aura. The air around it seemed to ionize as the electricity struck around the area repeatedly, causing sparks to fly everywhere. Slowly but surely, it grew in size. All three Bravo members backed away a safe distance from the chopper, their arms raised up, their heads ducked down and turned away, wary of this new development. The earth trembled as something large landed on the ground. It was too bright to see what it was, but each of them could have sworn that something dropped down from the orb. The light dissipated, and the forest was once again engulfed in darkness. None of the Bravo members made a move. Instead, their gazes were fixated on a dark shape concealed slightly by the shadows. Small portions were made visible by the moonlight. It was kneeling down, its back facing them. The clouds draped themselves over the moon. Slowly, the shape, which seemed to be feminine due to the shape of the posterior, rose up, towering over the trio. It stood over nine feet high, though it was slightly hunched over. If it had stood erect, the entity before them would have been at least twelve feet in height.

'_Goddamn, this thing puts an Amazon to shame!'_ Dooley thought to himself.

He also noted that the entity had something in its hands, though he could not make out what it was.

All three of the Bravo members raised their weapons instinctively, unsure of what to make of this gargantuan. Dooley was sweating profusely. The gun-mounted lights illuminated the figure, making the three Bravo members instantly regret doing so. When the entity turned to face them, terror gnawed at their hearts as crimson eyes glared at them with a menacing glow.

None of them expected the sight in front of them. Only a mad man with a degree in engineering could think of this monstrosity!

As S.T.A.R.S. members, they were witnesses to all manners of human evil. This entity in front of them, however, seethed with a sinister, unnatural aura. The red eyes spoke volumes of a mind whose sole purpose was for the most malevolent of designs. They also contained within them a sinister glee.

All three of the S.T.A.R.S. members paled at the entity before them and trembled with terror at the dreadful thing that it wielded within its hands. For the first time in his life, Dooley prayed.

* * *

><p>Rebecca had always believed patience to be one of her virtues. It took a herculean effort on her part to maintain it, especially in the face of such horrifying circumstances. Trying desperately to put out from her mind the grisly sight around her, along with the awful smell that accompanied it, Rebecca shifted around endlessly, searching for something to focus on, her stomach a massive tangle of knots.<p>

What was taking her team so long?!

Grimacing in disgust at the sight of a woman missing a portion of her skull, she shifted her attention away from it and closed her eyes, taking several small inhalations through her nostrils to avoid passing out.

Calm down, they'll be here soon. Keep calm, keep calm.

Raising her eyes to the looming form of her thankfully cuffed captive, she glanced over his features again. Sweeping over his facial scars, curiosity renewed as she carefully studied them. Originally thinking they were ceremonial incisions, Rebecca frowned as she realized her mistake. Not incisions, more like lacerations due to the jagged and irregular edges. From the color and skin condition, these were old wounds; how old was a matter of conjecture on her part, but if she were to hazard a guess, they were most likely within the ballpark figure of several years or so, eight being the minimum. What she couldn't determine, however, was whether or not the wounds were self-inflicted. Regardless, the severity of the marks indicated a level of sadism that chilled her. It was a miracle that the boy wasn't rendered blind.

The medic had not known how long she was staring at them.

"Is something wrong, Officer Chambers?" Star asked.

Rebecca blinked.

"What? Oh, I-I'm sorry, I-I was j-just wondering about your scars." She stammered.

The red-clad giant cocked his head slightly to the side.

"What about them?"

"It's none of my business. I'm sorry."

"You have no reason to apologize. If anything it should be I for it offends you. You are not the first to be offended. If you wish, I can turn away so that you won't have to see them." Star replied. He was just about to when Rebecca waved with both hands in protest.

"No, no, no! That's not it at all!" The medic assured, surprised by his sincerity.

"Then what is it?" He asked calmly, his gaze fixed on her.

She sighed.

"How did you get them?" Rebecca asked.

He was silent for a moment.

"What for?" He asked.

She shrugged.

"Curiosity. You don't have to answer if you don't want to." She said.

After a brief moment of silence, Star spoke.

"They're... they're marks...made by my...older...brother." He said, looking uncomfortable.

Rebecca looked at him with surprise.

"Your brother?"

Star turned his face away. Though his face was stoic, his eyes, which he tried to conceal, revealed something that she recognized: shame. A small part of her felt sympathy for him. Sociopaths usually come from abusive households.

"I'm sorry to hear about what your brother did to you," she said, "I really am. But that's all the sympathy you'll get out of me."

"I didn't ask for your sympathy. You were the one who started to question," Star said calmly and quietly, "though, I...thank you...for the sentiment."

She noted the genuinely gracious tone within his words. They were silent the entire time until the doors from where Rebecca had appeared opened. Three masculine forms entered the compartment, each that she had instantly recognized. Sighing with relief, she made her way toward them.

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini was initially irritated at the girl for straying away from him. Upon entering the train car, however, his opinion of her changed as he surveyed both the surroundings as well as the casualties, stunned by the carnage around him. Despite the medic's little goof-up, Marini had to admit that he was impressed with how she kept her cool. A person with a weak constitution would have spewed at this mess. Perhaps she was made of sterner stuff. He watched her diminutive form approach him, offering a salute. Smiling inwardly at her naivety, he saluted back.<p>

"Good to see you, Rebecca." The Bravo Captain greeted.

"Good to see you too, sir." She replied.

When Marini looked over to his other officers, neither responded to her; all attention was placed on the prisoner. Looking over to where they stared, Marini hesitated, taken aback by the sight that confronted him. Shrouded in red and gigantic in height, the suspect had a scarecrow-like frame. His thin long arms were cuffed behind him, inadvertently lending the figure the appearance of a cardinal with its wings folded. The suspect's face, at first mistakenly believed to be a mask, was the color of bone and marked with scars. Even stranger were the silver hair and the eyes that stared back at Marini. Breaking off eye contact, the Bravo Captain nodded to Rebecca.

"So this is the one responsible for what happened here?"

"Yes sir." The medic replied.

Moving his gaze back to the suspect, Marini's eyes narrowed into slits, the muscles in his face and arms tightening to make himself seem more imposing. Despite his attempt at intimidation, the suspect stared back at him, seemingly unfazed. Cat-like eyes avidly scanned his features, as if determined to imprint his image on paper. Trailing them upward to meet his own, Marini felt a certain level of unease. There was something about the gaze that seemed a little interrogatory, reminding him of a certain S.T.A.R.S. Captain.

What was with this guy? How old was he even?

Marini noted how young he looked. He was hesitant about calling him a boy due to his freakish height. Youth would probably be a better term. Marini exhaled through his nostrils as he nodded to himself.

"My, my, my, look at you. Christ, you're definitely something for the headlines!"

"Biggest cultist I've ever seen, sir." Aiken said in agreement as he circled around the giant. "From the clothing, I reckon he's one of the top dogs."

"I am no cultist." The albino said with an eerie calmness.

Aiken nodded.

"Oh yeah, right." He said, rolling his eyes. "It's totally trendy to wear red robes and carve crosses into your own face!"

The albino tilted his head in the Bravo's direction.

"If you are to accuse me of practicing a religion, then you should be made aware of two important details. One is my Catholic education, the other is my agnosticism." he replied.

"So, what, you just carved crosses into your face to prove how dedicated you are to your faith, or is it for shits and giggles?"

The red-clothed figure turned away, refusing to answer.

Marini studied him.

"What's your name, boy?" He asked, his voice hard. The youth raised his eyes to meet his before giving a slight bow.

"My legal name is Jack Wolf, but my birth name is Star."

Aiken sneered.

"'Star?' What were your parents, hippies?" He asked with contempt.

Raising his head, the albino looked directly into the Bravo's eyes, stopping him from making any more remarks.

"I have no biological parents." He stated.

"Then who raised you?" Marini asked, though it sounded more like a demand.

Turning back to him, the albino calmly acknowledged the question.

"My mother, a librarian. Before her, though I was not reared by them, I was associated with t...two other people, one being a ring master of a traveling circus that collapsed, the second being a nun." He replied.

"So the name came from your time at the circus?" Marini deduced, noting how he stammered when he said 'two.'

"My birth name was given to me years before I joined. It was the name 'Jack' that I picked up from the circus."

Ignoring him, Marini turned to Rebecca.

"What happened here?" He asked.

He listened to the young S.T.A.R.S medic as she described what she saw. The more he listened, the grimmer his face became. After explaining her side of the story, Rebecca pointed to where the albino had placed the blood-covered weapons. Using a handkerchief from his one of his pant pockets, he picked them up by their handles, attentively examining their design and craftsmanship.

"Jesus, look at the size of these pig stickers." Marini said aloud.

"Baat Jaam Do" The youth stated.

"Sorry?"

"That's what the swords are called. In Chinese it translates to "eight cutting techniques," but they're more commonly known as butterfly swords. They're used mainly for martial arts."

Marini studied him before handing the weapons to Aiken, who placed them beside Rebecca on a nearby chair.

"Right. Do you have a license for these?" He asked.

The albino nodded.

"Yes, sir. I have it in my wallet. Officer Chambers currently has it." He said, looking over to Rebecca.

The young S.T.A.R.S. medic handed the wallet over to Marini, blushing slightly. Apparently she had forgotten the fact that she even had it. As he opened up the wallet, the Bravo Captain began scrutinizing its interior. Thumbing through the wallet's contents, which consisted of some currency, a train ticket and a library card from something called the Miskatonic Library, he extracted the license from its pouch.

"How long were you a practitioner?" Marini inquired without lifting his gaze.

"Since I was four, sir."

Briefly raising his eyes, the Bravo Captain heard murmurs escape from the lips of his subordinates upon hearing this new information.

"What I'm hearing isn't making you look good, son. Were you given your Miranda rights?" He asked.

"Yes, and I wish to wave those rights."

Looking up at the speaker, Marini blinked with surprise.

"Are you sure?"

The albino nodded. "My welfare is irrelevant. I am more concerned about the others onboard, you especially. You are in grave danger."

The Bravos hesitated at the urgency in his tone. Pocketing the albino's wallet, Marini gave him his full attention.

"Talk." He ordered.

Aiken looked over at him.

"Sir, he's bluffing, let's just get this guy to the station before his lawyer-"

"He waved his rights, Richard." The Bravo Captain said before turning back to the albino. "Talk."

The youth gave a slight nod and did as he was told.

"I was a passenger onboard when the attack had occurred. I was trying to protect the others that were in my car, but...they were overwhelmed." He explained, almost faltering for a brief moment.

Marini frowned as he realized where this was headed. The prisoner was trying to delay them, desperately trying to cover his ass with a flimsy story that attempted to present himself in a better light. Marini heard similar, if not weirder stories. Still, he patiently listened. Who knows, maybe he'll get a funny story to tell his drinking buddies over at Jay's Bar and Grill.

"This attack, had it occurred while the train was active or when it had stopped?" Marini asked, going along with the suspect's account.

"While it was active, sir."

"Who attacked?"

"It was not a person that attacked, sir."

"Then what was it?"

"Leeches, sir."

Marini stared blankly at him.

"Leeches." he said flatly.

The albino gave a slight nod.

"Millions of them, sir. After fighting most of them off, the train stopped. I came here from one of the rear cars to find if there was anyone left alive, but so far I'm one of the few death has not taken. I might be the sole survivor, sir. I don't know about the others. When I arrived here, these bodies rose up and attacked me, sir."

The Bravo Captain stared at him as if he was an alien from another planet.

'_Well, I guess I got my bar story afterall.'_ He thought with amusement.

The four S.T.A.R.S. members tried not to laugh at the ludicrousness of his words.

Aiken looked over at Sullivan, placed both hands on his face and opened them up, while at the same time making a noise that sounded like a cuckoo clock. The chemist himself let out a cough.

Marini eyed the albino warily before turning to the young medic.

"He didn't give you any trouble, did he?" He asked with concern.

"No, sir." Rebecca replied.

"Why would I harm a comrade?" The youth asked, startling the Bravos. Rebecca looked at the red-draped albino, stunned by his comment.

"Excuse me?" Marini gaped.

"Do you know a 'Chief Irons?'" The giant asked.

"Yes, so what of it? What the hell do you mean by 'comrade?" He demanded.

Despite his attempt at intimidating the younger man, the albino was unfazed.

"Forgive me, I didn't mean to mislead you with that comment, but I had wanted to perform the conditions necessary for joining S.T.A.R.S. I have in my breast pocket a letter of introduction from my mother to someone named Chief Irons. It's in the right side." He explained.

Marini frowned.

"Hell of a time to bring that up." He muttered.

The Bravos raised their weapons as Marini approached, wary of their prisoner's still form. Undoing the straps on the giant's red coat, he pulled it open, revealing a slender though smoothly toned body bedecked in a black formal shirt and pants, his feet concealed within long leather boots, while on his right calf was a holster or sheath, probably for holding the swords. Reaching in, Marini pulled out a letter sealed within an envelope, along with a yellow paper that he had recognized as a criminal record form. Signed three weeks ago, the document proved that the albino had a clean background. After he finished, Marini proceeded to open up the envelope and read it. True to the albino's word, it was an introductory letter, the text written by a typewriter. It listed some of the albino's achievements, which included an Outstanding Achievement Award from St. Michael's Catholic School, a scholarship from the University of Arkham, where he had graduated with high honors and degrees in Classics and Honours Arts, among other things. Marini's gaze lingered on the name of the university.

'_Arkham?'_ He wondered.

A few friends back at the station used to tell him stories about that place. Arkham was a town in Louisiana, roughly fifty miles east of New Orleans, bordered by the thick forests of Dunswiche to the north and a practically derelict fishing port to the south called Innsmouth. It was partly rural, with a population of fifteen hundred people, maybe less. Marini's colleagues described it as a bizarre throwback to the 1920s in terms of the architecture and clothing style. One would have thought that they had stepped out of a time machine and landed seventy years into the past. None of his colleagues knew the details regarding the region's history. From what they saw, the people were mostly Caucasian with a strong belief in the supernatural. A rather perfect setting for the entity standing before him.

After reading it over, Marini passed the letter along to his subordinates to see if they could find any discrepancies in the information, partially wanting it to be false. Despite their attempts, however, there was no one who was able to dispute its authenticity. Marini sighed. The youth's story about leeches suggested schizophrenia or some other mental illness.

'_Hallucinogenic drugs are also a possibility.'_ He reminded himself.

Either way, the situation was tragic, especially for someone that had such a promising future ahead of him.

"No idea why you're mentioning this now. Wouldn't have made much of a difference, though, what with all of this." Marini replied as he pocketed the letter.

"I've got to say that you are an enigma, Mr. Wolf." He continued. With the exception of Rebecca, Marini had never in his whole police career met anyone quite like him. From his accomplishments, he could have been a teacher, a scholar even, yet he wished to join S.T.A.R.S.

The Bravo Captain studied the youth, trying to understand him.

What could have possibly allowed for someone so young and promising to perpetrate such startling acts of violence?

The youth said nothing as he listened.

"Your list of achievements leaves no doubt that you are intelligent. I think I know what might have happened. You were enjoying yourself, celebrating the end of exams. Hell, probably overjoyed at the idea of leaving some armpit town in Louisiana to see new exciting places and try things that you were never allowed to do back home."

The albino gave him a blank yet puzzled look.

"Somewhere along the way, you wanted to get a little, you know, loose. Now, Mr. Wolf, prior to your time onboard, did you take some alcohol?" He asked.

"No, sir."

Marini looked at Rebecca for confirmation.

She nodded her head. "I used a breathalyser on him before you got here. There's no alcohol in his system, sir."

_'Scratch that theory.'_ Marini thought.

"Have you used any hallucinogenic substances?" The Bravo Captain asked.

"No, sir." The giant spoke.

"Are you sure? "

"Yes, sir."

Marini frowned.

"A pity that you couldn't make things easier on yourself, son. Let's get him out of here."

"But I told the truth." The albino said as they started to guide him to the door.

"No, you're just bullshitting your way through and wasting our time."

"I swear on my honor that I never laid a hand on them."

Marini barked a laugh.

"Your 'honor?' That's funny."

"Laughter has no place here. Ridiculous, impossible, it may be, but I do not say my account with jest. I am forbidden to lie." The albino stated solemnly.

"So you want us to believe you? That demonic leeches flew in here, killed everyone onboard, made them into zombies, and then flew back out? Where are they? Are they here?"The Bravo Captain bent down and checked under the seats. "No? How about here?"

He stretched the cushion open and checked again, but found nothing. "If there were millions of leeches onboard, where are they? I mean, you couldn't have just frightened them off!"

The youth flinched upon hearing that, causing a slight break in his stoicism. Marini sighed.

"Save what you have to say for your lawyer." He said calmly.

The red giant stared at Marini.

"There are still people that you need to aid."

Marini listened. The giant gestured with his head in the direction of the rear cars.

"During the conflict, I made a woman and child take refuge in an occupied rest room in the final car. The last I saw of them, they were unharmed. I tried knocking, though I suspect that they were too terrified of me." He explained.

The four Bravo members hesitated. Could this be a trick?

"How do we know that it's not a trap?" Sullivan asked suspiciously.

Marini watched as he shrunk under the albino's gaze

"I have no reason to harm you." he replied before turning back to the Bravo Captain. "You have my word of honor."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Marini relented.

"Aiken, Sullivan, on me. Chambers, stay with him, though be sure to stand by in case we might need medical assistance." He said.

Rebecca nodded.

"Captain?" The enigmatic youth spoke.

Marini turned back to the captive.

"Yes?" He responded.

"Could you apologize to them for me? For unintentionally scaring them?"

Marini was silent for a moment. He was not expecting that.

"If they're alive, son." He murmured.

He turned facing the direction of his current objective. Aiken and Sullivan raised their weapons and headed toward the door. On a count of three, the doors opened and the three men disappeared behind it, moving in a precise, organized and coordinated fashion, leaving Rebecca once again with Star.

* * *

><p>Minutes passed since the departure of Rebecca's captain. To the young S.T.A.R.S. medic, a minute felt like an eternity.<p>

"How long were you a S.T.A.R.S. member, Officer?" The prisoner asked politely.

She sighed.

"It's my first day, actually." Rebecca replied.

"I see. Things are going well for you so far?" He asked, his face stoic.

"So far." She half shrugged.

Part of her was somewhat bemused by this conversation. How could this boy be so calm given the circumstances?

"So, you were a graduate from Arkham?" She asked with curiosity.

"Yes, Officer."

"But why come all the way here? Why enter S.T.A.R.S.?" She asked.

"Why did you?" He responded.

Rebecca was taken aback.

"What do you mean?" She asked with suspicion.

Star was silent for a moment before he spoke again.

"I apologize in advance for my bluntness and for my presumptuousness, but you do not seem like the kind of person who would want to join S.T.A.R.S. Your presence seems oddly misplaced." He replied.

Rebecca felt anger build up within her, but she tried to keep it down. When it came to the subject of how she got into S.T.A.R.S., Rebecca was very sensitive about it. Even though favors were called, she had worked like a dog trying to prove her worth, especially when it came to S.T.A.R.S. She was not going to stand back and let some scumbag make her feel low.

"You're saying that I'm not good enough to be a S.T.A.R.S. officer?" She asked coldly.

"Not at all, it's quite the opposite of what I'm saying. I believe you to be better than a police officer."

She hesitated. Caught completely off-guard by the comment, her anger quickly dissipated.

"Huh?" Rebecca asked dumbly.

"My first thought when I met you was that you were better suited as a singer, but that would not do justice to the intellect that lie within your eyes. I could easily see you as a doctor. Maybe something more." He explained before bowing his head.

"My apologies for the misunderstanding."

Rebecca stood gaping at him for a few seconds, maybe a minute, weapon lowered slightly, eyes wide. The boy was continually full of surprises.

She overcame her shock and regained her composure.

'_Oh, this guy is good.'_ She thought to herself.

Sociopaths were masterful manipulators. This guy, she believed, was no different. Despite that she had not studied them carefully, she could tell from the level of trauma indicated on the bodies, or what was left of them, that this boy was not ordinary by any stretch of the imagination. "My reasons are my own." Rebecca asserted, her tone filled with determination. "If you really think that charming me will get you uncuffed, guess again!"

Star blinked with surprise and studied her for a moment. Those strange eyes penetrated hers, trying to find an explanation for her behavior. While the face was expressionless, the eyes were not. Rebecca shivered. Her reaction did not go unnoticed.

"Even after my assurances, of both my innocence and the fact that I wouldn't harm a comrade, you still fear me," the giant replied quietly, his tone sad, "I am not the one you should fear."

The sounds of doors whooshing open behind her caught Rebecca's attention. Turning to the source, the girl was greeted with a sight that made her feel ill. She paled with fear as she stared eye-to-eye with Billy Coen.


	4. Chapter Three: Lurking Horror

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Three: Lurking Horror**

Enrico Marini crept forward with his officers at a steady and cautious pace, his sidearm raised protectively. Currently, they were in an area within the train that could have been reserved for train employees and perhaps the conductor him or herself. Every move he made was slow and deliberate, his eyes darting back and forth around the room for any potential survivors or traps. The only sounds that could be heard were the harsh pattering of rain and the deafening howling of the wind, which shook the train walls slightly. The lights were somberly lit, giving the room itself the feel of a funeral parlor.

Finding nothing, they proceeded toward the rear door. Marini tapped Aiken on the shoulder before gesturing for him to take point, the Samurai Edge raised to eye level to provide covering fire. Together with his team mate, they flanked both sides of the rear door. Grabbing the handle, they slid the door open slightly, barely an inch of the way open. Sullivan peeked through the crack.

"Holy shit." He silently muttered with stunned awe.

"What it is it?" Marini asked.

The Bravo looked up at him.

"It's better if you saw it for yourself, sir." He replied.

Curious, Marini changed places with the younger officer and peered through the crack. Upon seeing the sight that awaited them, he pulled back, his face hardened, the weapon raised back to eye level. "Prepare to breach on my mark." He whispered.

The officers shifted into position. After five seconds, the order came.

"Move in!"

The Bravos slid the door open to the side and rushed in, their Samurai Edges readied for action. While Aiken and Sullivan checked corners for hostiles, Marini took in all of the details of the new setting that they were in. Greeting the Bravos was another long hallway with a large cluster of passenger seats, but what took their breath away was the condition that it was in. It looked like a warzone, everything in complete disarray. Thankfully, there were no signs of any serious hazards save for bits and pieces of broken glass on the carpet and on nearby seats. The train lamps had either short-circuited or were smashed during the ensuing attack. Some of the windows were missing noticeable portions of glass. From the few fragments still hanging within the frame, some of them appeared to have been dissolved. Holes and burns of varying sizes covered various parts of the roof and floor, allowing rain to enter freely. Bodies were strewn across every surface in a multitude of positions.

One corpse in particular caught the Bravo Captain's attention. Barely three feet ahead of him off to the right was a man in his sixties, wearing a pair of wiry frames and black trousers. From his coat, he was a Yankees fan. His face, with its soft and round contours, would have probably given him an avuncular appearance when he was alive. In death, it became a sort of parody. Its mouth hung obscenely open, the eyes rolled upward gazing into his own skull. Water dripped freely onto his forehead and into his receding hairline.

Marini felt his blood turn cold. Part of him wanted to go back and beat the living daylights out of that creep in the red coat, but that died down as he surveyed the casualties before him. Marini noted how the conditions of these bodies differed from the ones found in the sixth car. None of these beheld the extreme violence demonstrated by the albino. Indeed, all of the bodies were intact, though their skins were in considerably poor condition. Marini couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he gazed upon the crime scene. As a police officer, he had seen his fair share of violence. From the wounds exhibited, these were not the marks of a blade or a firearm. Portions of the skin were missing.

What could have done this?

"What the hell happened here, sir?" Aiken asked as he eyed the destruction around them.

Sullivan stood there gaping.

The Bravo Captain frowned.

"I don't know," he admitted, "we'll need to get forensics down here and have them sort this out. Mind your steps. We can't afford to contaminate the crime scene."

"Do you think this is what we should expect to find in the other cars?"

"Impossible." Marini replied, "There must be over a hundred men, women and children onboard. Even if that freak was Jean-Claude Van Damme, there's no way he would have been able to kill all of them."

"Unless he has an accomplice or accomplices." Aiken pointed out.

Marini frowned. Why didn't he think of asking the albino if he had been travelling alone?

"In any case, we'll check around to be sure. Keep your eyes open."

With that said, Marini and his men moved forward, taking care not to slip as they crossed, determined to find these 'survivors' that their prisoner had mentioned, although the devastated scenery left them somewhat chilled. Some of them recalled the albino's story, but quickly dismissed it. Who in their right mind would entertain the thoughts of a psychotic?

Outside, lightning flashed across the sky, illuminating the small train. Nearby, a lone crow found shelter underneath the foliage of a tree. It cawed loudly, leaving the Bravo members unnerved.

It almost seemed to be laughing at them.

* * *

><p>The storm raged on as thunder rumbled and cracked multiple times.<p>

Rebecca felt cold with fear as she studied the figure that had just arrived. Rather than being dressed in an orange prison uniform, as one would expect, Coen wore a different set of attire that he obviously stole from the deceased passengers. On his hips, the convict wore a pair of jeans that were dark-blue in color, held up by a black leather belt, while his feet were concealed in dark thick boots. A sleeveless shirt that was navy-blue in tone revealed a pair of muscular arms. A large and stylish tattoo adorned his right shoulder. Illustrated in black ink, it appeared to be lettering for some sort of phrase or message, but Rebecca wasn't able to tell what it had said, nor had she bothered to do so for her attention was fixed elsewhere.

In his right hand was a Smith and Wesson Colt Anaconda, a rather intimidating weapon due to the size of its barrel - the thing was almost as large as her head. Rebecca had no doubt that a single shot from that thing would probably kill her in an instant, maybe even reduce her cranium to paste. To her relief, though, the convict's attention was not fixed on her. Coen was studying the room and its contents, barely even giving her a glance. She felt a tinge of annoyance. He was giving her the same dismissive air as one would a fly. While part of her wanted to leap into action and prove that she was not to be taken lightly, Rebecca knew that would be the quickest way to get herself killed. As proud as she was of her first arrest, she had been lucky that the albino had cooperated.

After studying his surroundings, he gave her a once-over before shifting his attention to her prisoner. Rebecca eyed Star as he coolly stared back, his face retaining its stoicism.

The two stood in silent deliberation, seemingly wondering what to make of the other. Rebecca felt her heart thump as seconds counted by.

"Billy-" she spoke but stopped herself when he turned to face her. Rebecca mentally scolded herself. The man had killed twenty-three people, excluding the men who were escorting him. Calling him by his first name could potentially set him off, so Rebecca decided on pursuing a safer route.

"Lieutenant Coen." She said with nervous fluidity.

The convict stared her down.

"So, you know me. Been dreaming about me, have you?" He said, his voice low. There was a slight yet barely noticeable smirk on one corner of his mouth.

"You're the prisoner who escaped from the escort vehicle." She said, raising her weapon, although keeping an eye on Star.

Rebecca was frightened. Here she was with two psychopaths, one armed, the other detained. If she took her eyes off one, the other would possibly take advantage.

Nothing happened, at least not yet.

Coen studied her.

"Ah, so you're with S.T.A.R.S. Well, your kind doesn't seem to want me around. Catch ya later." He replied casually, lowering his weapon.

He turned around and started walking back to where he came from.

Rebecca blinked.

"Wait! You're under arrest!" She said, trying to sound assertive.

He casually raised one his arms, smirking over his shoulder. Dangling from his wrist was a manacle.

"No thanks, doll-face. I have already worn handcuffs." Coen replied.

He turned to look at Star, his expression changing.

"Nice coat." He muttered.

"Thank you." Star replied evenly.

Grunting in response, Billy turned and walked away. Rebecca shakily lowered her weapon after the door closed, sighing in relief.

BOOM!

Star and Rebecca whirled around as something large smashed through one of the windows.

She watched with horror as a figure, who she recognized as Edward Dewey, bounced off one of the chairs and clattered to the floor on his back with a grunt.

Her eyes widened.

"Edward!" She cried out as she rushed over to his side. Various cuts and bruises adorned his body. She detected movement from her right and turned.

From the entrance where Rebecca and the others had first appeared from, Forest emerged, drenched in blood and rain. She gaped at him, wondering where all of that blood came from. Rebecca thought that he would explain and come to Edward's aid.

Instead, he quickly went to the smashed window.

Strapped to his back was a grenade launcher. In his hands was a large rifle with a scope on it. Rebecca watched as Forest raised his weapon and started firing multiple shots.

"EAT IT!" He shouted.

Thunder roared across the sky, though Rebecca could have sworn that she heard something else.

It was hard to describe. It almost sounded like a deer's shriek mixed with fingernails on a blackboard, which was then played through a filter.

After a few seconds of frenzied firing, Forest stopped.

He kept his attention on whatever it was that he was shooting at outside. Slowly, he shouldered his weapon, his gaze never faltering. It was only when Edward groaned in pain that both Forest and Rebecca snapped back to reality. She turned to face her injured comrade and took off her backpack. She looked over at Forest.

"Forest, I need your assistance. Help me clear the floor." She said.

He nodded.

"On it." Forest replied.

Together they brushed aside all the broken glass away from Edward. After making sure there weren't any more hazards, Rebecca turned back to her injured comrade.

"Can you hear me, Edward?" She asked, testing for level of awareness.

"Yeah," he groaned, "Oh God, that...that really hurt."

Rebecca opened up her backpack and took out a first aid kit. She took off her gloves and then replaced them with a pair made from rubber.

"Don't move, okay?" She told her patient.

She looked up at Forest, who stepped back from the pair to take out a pack of cigarettes.

"What happened? Where's Kevin?" She asked.

Rebecca watched as he tried to calm down and took out a cigarette.

"It...it happened so fast...So fast. We were attacked. First there was this weird pink lightning,... and then this...this _thing_ just...just suddenly appeared in front of us! Before we could even react, it started to chase us...Kev...oh my God, Kev..." Forest said as he smoked, his eyes staring intently out the window.

Rebecca was taken aback by what he said, her mind still trying to process the information. Part of her wanted to think that this was some sort hazing ritual at work, but it was too sick to be one.

Kevin was dead?

The thought struck her with the force of a sledge hammer. She felt herself numb. Her eyes frantically searched around, looking for some form of assurance that proved that it wasn't true. Finding nothing, her shoulders sagged slightly with defeat.

Edward groaned, shaking the medic out of her stupor.

"Forest, focus. I need your assistance with Edward. Can you do that?" She asked.

After a brief moment of silence, Forest let out a breath through his nostrils. He flicked away the cigarette.

"Yeah." he said with a nod, turning around and lowering himself to Rebecca's position.

"Can I be of assistance?" Star's voice called out.

Forest looked up, finally noticing the red giant in the room. Rebecca hesitated for a moment before finally answering.

"I'm alright, thank you," she said, "Forest, I need you to hold Edward's head."

Rebecca watched as Forest glanced at her prisoner before turning back to her.

"Got it." He replied, holding his comrade's head with both hands on either side supporting it as Rebecca patted down his body, checking for any other injuries. Fortunately, he gave no indication of any neck injuries. He did, however, complain of chest pains. His breathing was shallow. After patting him down, Rebecca moved him into a semi-sitting position and opened up his shirt. Aside from some serious looking cuts, Edward also had some broken ribs.

'_What have I gotten myself into?'_ she wondered to herself.

* * *

><p>Forest watched the scene before him with fascination. The rookie no longer behaved like the shy and somewhat fearful young girl that he had met at the Station. As she fixed up Edward on the floor, her manner became much calmer and more professional. When she worked, her eyes became much more focused. What had surprised him the most, though, was the determination that she exuded. Despite being reluctant to admit it, he was impressed by her dedication. He was certain that Redfield, Valentine and Captain Wesker would have been proud to have her in Alpha. From Edward's expression, he seemed to share the same sentiment as he did. Forest gave a slight glance toward the freakish-looking prisoner, watching as he intently studied Rebecca and her work with a look of admiration and respect. For reasons unknown to him, the Bravo felt uncomfortable with the albino's presence. He was given the vague impression that something was <em>wearing<em> his face, like a Halloween mask, although that could be attributed to his stoicism. Forest shuddered violently as he pulled his gaze away with disgust. Together with Rebecca, they worked quietly on their injured comrade.

* * *

><p>Rebecca was almost finished placing on the last dressing when the glass smashed inward about four feet behind her.<p>

All four turned their attention to the source of this disruption.

It stood up and turned to face them.

What Rebecca saw made her feel like vomiting. Her eyes were wide, her heart beating hard within her chest.

Standing there in front of her was a large dog, possibly a Rottweiler, maybe an Alsatian, though it was hard to tell what it was. To Rebecca, it looked like something from hell itself. Many large chunks of flesh were missing from its body. She could see its ribs sticking out from beneath its torn and dripping muscles. How the animal was still alive from this she had no clue. The animal must have gotten hold of Edward's scent and followed him here, the same way that a shark smells blood.

The dog started to growl.

Rebecca swallowed, reaching for her handgun, slowly standing up, her hands shaking slightly.

* * *

><p>Forest slowly started to raise his rifle but whirled around when the window behind him smashed inward as another bloodied dog came through.<p>

* * *

><p>When the other dog appeared, the first one saw that as an opportunity and charged forward, letting out a vicious snarl. As it leapt toward her, Rebecca fired. Three shots pounded into its hide, but it never faltered.<p>

"You're not getting Edward!" Rebecca cried out as she fired.

The fourth shot hit the animal in its left eye, slamming it back to the ground.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Forest was struggling. His rifle was caught within the jaws of a hell hound. He tried shaking and beating the damn thing off, but it would not let go. Forest then pulled out his sidearm from his holster and fired. He kept firing into the thing's head until the chamber was empty. To his surprise, it was still alive. It wrenched his weapon away, causing him to fall over. As it charged over to his position, Forest swung his foot. The kick connected with the animal's head, which also connected with a nearby wall. A loud crack signaled the animal's demise.<p>

* * *

><p>Rebecca panted as she tried to recollect her thoughts. When she looked back at the animal, the medic became overwhelmed with horror at what she had done.<p>

She had just fired her weapon at an animal, with the intention to kill!

Her hands shook.

She hoped that she would never have to shoot to kill, let alone at an animal. Rebecca loved animals. To find herself shooting and killing another living creature struck a cord in her. She felt disgusted with herself.

'_What have I done?'_ She thought with worry, shuddering with revulsion.

A noise caused the medic to look up. She watched as the animal that she had supposedly "killed" rose back up onto its feet. The eye that was shot out was bleeding heavily. The remaining eye glared at her with pure hatred. Snapping its jaws, the dog leapt up and slammed into Rebecca. The force was enough to send her crashing down onto the floor. A loud gunshot filled the air, causing the animal to dart back in surprise and pain. She turned her head to see Edward holding his weapon with one hand, the barrel smoking. Rebecca watched as he staggered to his feet in a slightly hunched over position, weapon trained on the animal. After two shots to the skull, the animal collapsed. Rebecca watched as Edward remained standing, sidearm still trained on the dog. With a look of satisfaction, he lowered it before facing her.

"You okay, rookie?" He asked.

Rebecca nodded. She noted how Edward seemed...nicer than before.

"Okay. Let me help-"

The large man never finished what he was going to say as the window behind him shattered.

* * *

><p>Edward felt a heavy weight press itself onto his back. As he struggled to get it off, something hard, wet and sharp clamped around his neck. Edward let an exclamation as the sharp points pierced through skin. Hot air rolled off the back of his neck as the animal chomped away with feverous glee. Pain racked his body for a few seconds until his vision started to blur. Rebecca's terrified face was starting to lose its pronounced lines, slowly becoming nothing more than a mass of colors. As she faded away, his vision began to darken, the pain slowly disappearing. Light-headed, Edward found himself wondering if everything was just a dream.<p>

_'Is this really happening?'_ He wondered.

Everything was so muted.

He felt himself become increasingly tired.

_'I'll just take a nap for a while.'_ Edward thought to himself. Everything will be back to normal when he woke back up.

With that comforting thought, Edward Dewey drifted to dreamless sleep.

* * *

><p>Rebecca watched on helplessly as the dog shake and rigorously gnaw at Edward's neck. Partially dangling out from the window, the animal was impaled on a large chunk of glass that protruded from the window frame, showing no sign either of pain or discomfort. Before she even had a chance to move, Rebecca's prisoner sprung into action, ramming his right shoulder pauldron into the animal's side, causing it to both release its prey as well as bend its torso inward at an awkward angle. Edward fell to the floor like a sack of potatoes. Taking a step forward, she stopped as the dog redoubled its efforts to get through the window, despite its rib cage caught on its ledge. To her horror and disgust, Rebecca watched as Star raised his leg high in the air and slam it down onto the animal's torso like a guillotine, splitting it in half, causing some of its intestines and lungs to fall out in a messy heap.<p>

"Oh God!" She exclaimed, covering her mouth to keep herself from vomiting.

What occurred next defied all logic. For Rebecca, it bordered on the surreal, if not the insane.

She watched as the animal started to pull itself from its shattered and dismembered half. Half crawling toward her, it renewed its efforts, its eyes blazing with what could only be described as an insatiable hunger. Moving a few inches forward, a large boot pushed down on the back of its neck, partially immobilizing it as it tried to reach the owner's leg.

Trailing her eyes along the soft red leather of Star's coat to meet his gaze, Rebecca felt herself flinch at the sight. For a moment, his eyes almost appeared to glow.

At the sight of her, he hesitated.

"Please, look away while I deal with this creature. Cover your ears as well. I'll indicate when it's over. Please." He said quietly.

Rebecca blinked with surprise by what was happening. He was genuinely concerned.

Giving a slight nod, Rebecca turned away and complied with his request.

* * *

><p>Satisfied, Star looked back down at the creature beneath his boot. Now he could put the poor animal out of its misery. Raising his foot up, he prepared to deliver the final blow.<p>

* * *

><p>Forest cringed at the sound of the animal's neck cracking. Looking back up, he watched as the red-clad giant stood over it for a moment, his face cast in shadow. Looking over toward Rebecca, he started to nudge the animal's carcass aside with his foot. Letting out a sigh, Forest helped remove the body, pushing it out of the window from where it came from. Turning around, he found himself face-to-face with the strange figure, put off by the cat eyes.<p>

"Thank you." He replied.

Uncomfortable with his presence, Forest nodded in reply before abruptly turning away, checking to make sure there weren't any more dogs around.

Satisfied, Forest turned around just in time to see the prisoner step toward the young S.T.A.R.S. medic. Reloading his sidearm, he brought it up with the speed of a rattler.

"Don't move." He ordered.

The giant stopped moving.

"I was going to tell her that she could look now." He said.

"I'll tell her myself." Forest said icily.

Slowly, he approached Rebecca and tapped her on the shoulder while keeping the prisoner in his place. With the tap as a sign of confirmation, she took her hands away from her ears and, with his help, got back onto her feet.

* * *

><p>Rebecca quickly walked over to Edward, who was pale. She checked for responses, only to receive none. She checked his breathing. Finding none, she became worried. Rebecca checked his pulse. Her heart sank.<p>

"Is he okay?" Star asked.

Rebecca looked up at him and shook her head.

He lowered his head as she turned back to face Edward's body.

It was not her first encounter with death. At age eight, she had lost her grandmother, one of the very few people that she had loved. At age twelve, two others that she had deeply cherished were also claimed by Death's hand, both victims of the man that had driven her to pursue this line of work. One was the sister who never came into the world outside of the womb, the other being her beloved companion Snowball, who was looked upon fondly by herself and her mother as a member of the family. In each instance where death was present, Rebecca felt an overwhelming sense of helplessness, despair and regret. Her heart felt heavy, like it was made from lead. Edward's death weighed down on her. Although the two were not on good terms, part of her started to wonder whether the Bravo pilot's dislike for her was justified. It was her responsibility to ensure the physical well-being of her fellow S.T.A.R.S. members, and she had failed. She willed herself not to cry in front of others. She couldn't afford to look weak. That, however, had not stopped her from voicing what she really wanted to say to her fallen comrade.

"I'm sorry." She and Star murmured at the same time.

They looked at each other in surprise.

'_Okay, that was a little odd.'_ Rebecca thought, caught off-guard.

"Why are you apologizing?" she asked, confused.

He was silent for a moment before responding, turning away.

"I wanted to save him." The albino answered, his frame looming solemnly over her fallen comrade.

Rebecca stared at him, surprised by how genuinely remorseful he was. A rational part of her wanted to dismiss him as a psychopathic monster, that he was pulling off a performance, and a very convincing one in her opinion. Normal people don't just get up and slice through whole crowds of civilians for no reason. When she caught him, he had no reaction to the atrocity that he was committing! No discernible facial reaction whatsoever!

However, the more she thought about Star, the more she started to question what he was.

Could he really have been an unfortunate victim of circumstance?

Was the train really..._infested_...with monsters?

Her rational side wanted to dismiss it, but then again, there was hardly anything rational about what had happened. She just saw a dismembered and horribly mutilated dog trying to scramble toward her. Reason dictated that the animal would have died of blood loss, if not from the trauma of being split in half. Where was the rationality there? Even if they were flukes, Rebecca had to take Forest's account into consideration. Kevin's death had deeply affected him, but she doubted that he was delusional. As fantastical as it had sounded, something had clearly thrown Edward through the window with considerable force and shattered his ribs.

Another detail that appeared into her mind was the image of Star telling her to look away. The way he pleaded for her to look away was enough to further increase her doubts. And the sadness within his eyes...

'_I wanted to save him,' _the albino's voice echoed.

Her first thought was to uncuff Star, but she hesitated.

'_Maybe it would be better to wait until the Captain returned.'_ She thought.

Through the sounds of rain and thunder, another noise was detected. The more she listened, the heavier her heart became. It was the sound of laughter, cold, mirthless and mechanical.

* * *

><p>Marini sighed as he approached a pair of washroom stalls that were placed opposite of each other. For ten minutes, he and his men wandered amongst the dead, which lied scattered in various positions. Ten minutes felt like an eternity. He held his guard up as he surveyed the deceased, sidearm raised in case of a possible ambush. He kept his eye out for any sign of life, but to his disappointment, none could be found. Marini was about to dismiss the possibilities of survivors when he stopped. He raised his arm, signaling the other Bravos to hold their positions.<p>

"Do you hear that?" Marini asked.

He listened intently. It was the sound of moaning. Based on the vocals, the person making it was a male. It was coming from the stall to his right. Stenciled in fancy lettering on the door, it was identified as the 'Gents' restroom. Slowly, Marini went up and tapped lightly against the door.

"Hello?" he called.

Silence.

"I am Captain Enrico Marini of S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team. I'm here with two other police officers. Can you hear me?"

He heard a lot of shuffling within. Aiken snorted, a smirk appearing at one side of his face.

"I think we came at a bad time." he laughed.

Marini turned to face him.

"Shut your mouth, Aiken." he said sternly before turning back to door, "Listen, you don't have to be afraid. We got the bastard cuffed. Are there any other passengers in there with you?"

The only response was an incoherent moan. Shit, the albino must have injured them severely.

"Are you hurt?"

BANG!

Marini was slightly startled by the noise as the occupant started to pound at the wood.

"Okay, calm down! We'll get you out of there! Just stand clear of the door!" He called out.

The sound of fists slamming onto wood echoed through the car.

"Sir, I can't help you if you won't cooperate. Please step away from the door." Marini said calmly.

The man continued to pound away for several seconds.

"Sir-"

The door smashed into him, knocking him back two feet into the opposite wall. The other Bravo members backed away and raised their weapons with alarm, expecting an ambush. Three seconds after the door creaked open, they let their guard drop as they peered into the washroom stall. The interior was completely cast in shadow, although the dim lighting outside provided some illumination. Three hidden shapes could be seen. Two of them were lying down, while the third stumbled around. From the scant details that Marini could make out, the survivor was a man in his fifties. Based on his attire, he was the conductor. Stenciled along the right breast of his coat was his name: 'J. Charles.'

Marini lowered his weapon.

"Sir, are you alright?" He called out.

The man looked over in his direction.

"It's okay, you have nothing to worry about." Marini assured. "Do you need medical assistance?" Pivoting on his right foot, the figure shambled toward him with arms outstretched, moaning.

The Bravo Captain turned to his subordinate.

"Aiken, get the radio." After getting a nod from him, Marini turned back to the advancing figure, addressing him by name. "Mr. Charles, if you're injured, I need you to stop moving. Help's on the way."

Rather than responding, the conductor mindlessly moved toward the large Hispanic. As he stepped out, Marini pulled back with a start. In the dim lighting of the car, he was able to make out some gruesome details. The skin looked like it was..._decomposing_!

"Jesus!" Aiken exclaimed.

Marini unconsciously inched back, away from the opposite door. His instincts were screaming at him to get out of there.

"Sir-"

The man violently lunged forward.

Marini accidently fired two rounds into the man's chest, but he still kept coming. His sidearm was knocked out from his hand. Soon, the two were grappling hold of each other. Marini was trying to push the old man back, but the old timer was unnaturally strong. The man had his jaws wide open, which then snapped shut on empty air. Marini couldn't believe it. The man was actually trying to bite him! The conductor snapped his jaws hungrily, though Marini was able to avoid being bitten. When he looked into the man's eyes, a certain sensation of dread crept up his back. The eyes were absolutely lifeless. It was like looking into the eyes of a corpse.

"FUCKING HELP ME!" Marini roared.

He watched as Aiken moved forward and grabbed hold of the man. This caused the deranged conductor to turn his attention to him. Aiken grabbed hold of his taser from his right holster and jabbed it into the conductor's chest. The taser made a distinctive crackling noise as thousands of volts entered the body, yet the man hadn't reacted in pain.

Marini was stunned.

There was no reaction whatsoever! The lunatic was still snapping his jaws away without a care! Just when the crazed bastard was about to take a chunk out of Aiken, Sullivan fired his weapon. The man's head jerked to the side. As the body collapsed onto the ground, it released its grip on Aiken, who stumbled back in shock.

Marini panted. His heart was racing.

"What the hell were you thinking?" He barked angrily at Sullivan.

"He was attacking you-"

"Why didn't you use your taser, fuckwit?"

Sullivan was grave silent, his face tense.

"Jesus." The Bravo Captain said, his fingers tracing along his own mustache and chin.

"Thanks." He acknowledged offhandedly.

Sullivan nodded back. Somehow, the man always had a calm and collected air, even during the most stressful or dangerous situations. For the most part, Sullivan was always impartial to others around him, though he would acknowledge them from time to time. Marini admired his ability to maintain himself. Part of the Bravo Captain felt that Sullivan would have been well-suited for the Marines.

Marini's pulse was beating a mile a second, completely unnerved. The guy just tried to take a bite out of him. A goddamn bite!

'_What the hell is going on!?'_ The Bravo Captain shouted in his head.

His mind kept reflecting back to what the suspect said. There must have been another explanation. He was unwilling to fall into the mouth of madness. Marini closed his eyes, placing two fingers on the bridge of his nose, taking in a few, slow deep breaths.

After the seventh slow exhalation, he found himself able to think more analytically.

The albino, he reasoned, must have slipped some sort of hallucinogenic drug to his prisoners, most likely crack.

That must be it. It was the only viable explanation for the conductor's behavior. After he calmed down, he bent down to pick up his weapon before looking back up at Aiken.

"You alright?" He asked.

Richard nodded.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm fine, just startled, that's all." The communications expert replied.

Marini nodded before turning his attention to the open stall. He signaled to Aiken and Sullivan to cover him, raising his Samurai Edge, activating its mounted light. As he moved into the stall, his face became grimmer. Pressed up and lying lifelessly across the floor was the woman and her child. Like the conductor, their skins were decomposed. He bent down and checked their pulses.

Nothing.

* * *

><p>Aiken eyed his Captain with unease as his gaze hardened.<p>

"Motherfucker," he rumbled, shaking his head. Turning his head to face them, he continued, "Let's-"

He was cut off as two moans filled the stall. He whirled around with the light trained on the sources.

Aiken watched as the supposedly deceased bodies lifted their heads off the floor. At first, he thought that the Captain made a mistake. However, that suggestion took a backseat as he observed the scene in front of him. He was completely unnerved by it. The way the victims had moved was unnatural. Aiken couldn't help but be reminded of The Exorcist or The Evil Dead.

As the figures rose up to their feet, Aiken felt cold sweat roll down his forehead. Like the conductor, their eyes were devoid of any sign of life. The woman opened her mouth. Something black and slimy dropped out from her lips, splattering onto the floor. Aiken gagged at the sight, turning his head slightly away. Upon hearing the noise, the woman and her child raised their heads, their mouths gaping open. Together, they stumbled forward with their arms outstretched. All of the Bravos backed away. As mother and child stepped out from the stall, Aiken fought the urge to wretch.

Dripping out from the woman's mouth were thick, black leeches that splattered onto the floor. The leeches were sliding in and out through the flesh of their necks and cheeks.

Groaning in disgust, Aiken fired his weapon. He never really meant to do it. It was purely out of reflex. The Bravo heard Marini shout, but he couldn't hear what he had said.

Part of him felt like he was outside of his own body, watching the horrible action being committed. Time seemed to slow.

The round caught the woman in the heart, but she didn't fall. As he watched the woman move forward, Aiken couldn't help but feel both surprise and revulsion.

Another disgusting creature started to stretch outward. However, rather than dropping onto the floor, the leech curled itself back into the woman's mouth like a sickening tongue or tendril.

That pushed him over the edge.

Aiken kept firing. Eleven rounds were shot into her body, and not once did she flinch.

Instead, something else happened, something which chilled him to the core.

The various parts of the woman's body that were hit with handgun rounds started to swell. Before either his Captain or comrade could say anything, leeches sprung out from her body. Aiken and his fellow S.T.A.R.S. members let out yells of horror and surprise. Together, they shot the disgusting creatures while they were still in the air. Soon, the Bravos raised their weapons toward the pair, though there was hesitation. The idea of firing upon a woman and child sickened Aiken tremendously, and no doubt Marini as well.

As both woman and child moved toward the Bravos, their skins started to swell and bubble, forcing the Bravos to unload into the pair. Aiken placed in a fresh clip and continued to unload into both the monstrous woman and child. Neither seemed affected until finally Sullivan double-clipped into their skulls. Several seconds passed by, and none of the bodies moved. It was at that moment that Aiken threw up.

* * *

><p>Outside of the eighth car, a tall figure encased in thick armor was hidden within the shadows. Empress Type-1210 watched with cold amusement as the three humans fought off the undead. Part of her was surprised to find them present within this world. Was her master involved with this? She was unconcerned about it. She was more intent on killing them. Part of her wanted to rush in and slaughter everyone onboard, including the one in the red coat. She would have too if not for her orders. Empress recalled the thrill of having killed that pitiful being at the helicopter. She had killed him far too quickly for her own taste. She should have been slower and more deliberate, thereby prolonging the pleasurable experience. That was not entirely her fault, though. It had been far too long since she last killed something that felt pain. Empress then recalled the looks that were on the humans' faces, especially the one that she had sliced in half with one of her prized weapons. The other two were frightened like rabbits. Like a tigress, she had chased them, though at the same time taking care to give them a bit of a head-start. One of them managed to put up a bit of a fight, though that had not stopped her from pummeling into him. One clean uppercut into the chest, and he was airborne. Underneath her helmet, she grinned. The way that the other human ran was hysterical. She had never seen a human run so fast! She could have caught up if she wanted to, but she had stopped when she caught a glimpse of both the train and her target. Afterward, she shrunk back into the forest to fully analyze the situation as well as checking for other people onboard. She'll collect her target soon, though not after having some fun with the other humans. After all, all work and no play can leave a woman dissatisfied.<p>

With that thought in mind, she barked out a laugh. Though it was blocked out by the thunder and the rain, the laughter was clear and distinctive enough to be heard.


	5. Chapter Four: Tri Note

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Four: Tri Note**

Several minutes had passed since the dogs attacked. While Forest was staring out into the dark woods, avidly scanning for any sign of activity with his rifle, Rebecca sat on the armrest of a nearby chair, replaying that horrific memory in her mind, trying to find some logical explanation.

What on earth happened to them?

"Officer Chambers?"

Star's voice, soft like a whisper, startled the girl from her thoughts. Looking up, her eyes met up with his.

"Yes?"

The albino hesitated.

"Is this a bad time to make inquiries?" He asked politely.

Her brows furrowed.

"What do you want?" She asked suspiciously.

"You had mentioned earlier that your team is looking for someone." Star said simply.

Rebecca blinked. Three seconds of delving, her heart stopped.

"Billy Coen." She murmured aloud.

"What about him?" Forest grumbled, causing the albino to tilt his head over in his direction.

"Who was he?"

As the Bravo let out an audible shrug, Rebecca paled.

"He murdered twenty-three people." She said weakly. She never bothered to look at either of them.

"I see." She heard Star utter quietly.

How could she have been so stupid? To forget the man not only once but twice was unforgivable. She was a S.T.A.R.S. member, for God's sake! Rebecca mentally kicked herself for her foolish behavior.

"And this man, this Billy Coen, what did he look like again?" He asked.

Rebecca hesitated. What was he doing? He heard her address Coen himself.

'_What is he up to?' _she wondered.

"Five foot-six, brown hair brushed back. Why do you want to know?" Forest spoke up, suspicious.

"Curiosity, mostly," Star replied, "though I should warn you both to take caution. The man you're looking for is onboard."

The red-clad albino gestured with his head over to the doors from where Coen appeared from.

"He's hiding in there."

Rebecca stared with confusion.

'_Is he partners with Coen?'_ She wondered.

Rebecca sighed.

'_No._' she told herself mentally. It was obvious from the brief encounter that they had together with the convict that it was their first actual meeting. Plus, partners wouldn't sell each other out.

'_Unless it's a trap.'_ Part of Rebecca said cynically.

She thought about it, but then dismissed the idea. Her mind worked furiously, trying to come up with alternatives. Various possible answers were drawn up, but many of them were shot down due to logic.

She watched as Forest regarded the red enigma.

"Why didn't you mention this before?" He snapped.

Star gazed at him.

"It brings me great chagrin to admit this, but...that detail slipped from my mind. Your abrupt appearance, followed by the hounds, made me...momentarily... forget his presence." he said flatly.

Rebecca was taken aback. Not once did he mention her.

'_Why?'_ She wondered.

"How the hell do you forget the fact that a dangerous convict just passed by you?! Are you fuckin' stupid or something?!" Forest snapped.

Rebecca winced at what her comrade said. That comment, she felt, harsh as it might be, was not reserved for Star alone. Rebecca wondered to herself why the albino was not involving her in his explanations. She studied his features, trying to discern his actions.

Despite the insult, Star's demeanor remained calm and patient, his gaze focused on the weapons specialist.

"I suppose I must be." He replied.

Just when Forest was about to open his mouth again, Rebecca couldn't take it anymore.

"That's enough, Forest. He's not the one to blame. It's my..my fault." she said looking down, feeling ashamed.

Forest looked over at her.

"What?"

Rebecca felt sick with worry, but it was better than being silent.

"A little while before you and Edward showed up, we had a brief encounter with Coen. Shortly after he left, you appeared." she explained.

Forest regarded her, studying her for a moment. Rebecca heard him mutter something as he turned away from her. It was barely audible, but the medic heard him mutter a single word that made her flinch. Incompetent.

"There's no reason for you to call her that." Star said aloud.

"Shut it, butt-wipe, this doesn't involve you!" Forest growled to him.

"When it involves a comrade, it is, especially one who was willing to put others before her." The albino said in a controlled tone.

Rebecca's eyes widened with realization after she heard his explanation.

'_He was trying to cover for me!' S_he thought to herself with disbelief.

The weapons specialist blinked.

"'Comrade?'" He repeated, completely confused. "You?"

Star cast his eyes down.

"That was part of the reason for coming here." He replied quietly. "You should go and find Coen."

Forest stood there perplexed for three minutes before finally heading to the large car doors. He looked over at Star, seemingly trying to decipher the oddity, before turning back to face the doors. After reloading his rifle, he passed right through.

Rebecca stared at her captive in disbelief. Turning to meet her gaze, he hesitated.

"Is something wrong?" He asked.

"Why were you trying to cover for me?" Rebecca asked, keeping her tone soft.

Star cocked his head to the side.

"Shouldn't a comrade come to another's aid?"

"But you're not a S.T.A.R.S. member, therefore you have no reason to call me a comrade." She pointed out.

The giant figure was silent for a moment.

"You are correct. My apologies." He said quietly.

"That still doesn't answer my question." She said.

Star silently regarded her.

"I thought that I could help relieve you of your embarrassment."

"But why?" Rebecca asked.

"To be kind, that is all." He answered, saying it as if it was the most logical thing to do.

Rebecca was stunned by his sincerity. There was no way someone could be that generous! Could there?

"Have I offended you?" Star asked, his eyes looking at her with uncertainty.

She blinked.

"What? No, no, no! Not at all! It's just...that wasn't the answer that I was expecting." She replied.

The albino gazed at her before turning his head away.

"I'm sorry." Rebecca blurted out.

He looked back at her.

"Pardon?" He inquired.

She exhaled softly.

"I'm...I'm sorry...for being rude to you." She said softly.

He blinked.

"There's no reason to apologize. You have nothing to apologize for." The soft-spoken giant replied.

He was ready to turn his gaze away when she spoke up again.

"And thank you. Thank you, for trying to help me, and for standing up for me. I really do appreciate it." Rebecca added.

Star raised his eyes with surprise.

"Oh. Uh, your welcome. I'm...I'm glad to have been of service, despite it so meager, Officer Chambers." He said.

For the first time since her arrival onboard, she smiled.

* * *

><p>Star was taken aback by the young S.T.A.R.S. medic. Few people have ever smiled at him. Most would would rather look away. And yet, here he found before him someone else, aside from his mother, who was actually smiling at him an <em>honest<em> smile, not those forced grimaces. Small, it might have been, but there was no mistaking its authenticity. Star couldn't help but feel...touched.

* * *

><p>Forest couldn't believe what the albino said.<p>

Comrade! To think that freak was part of, or had wanted to join, S.T.A.R.S. made him want to shake his head.

Why not? The RPD was already a messed up circus. Most of the Department thought the unit was nothing more than a joke.

_'And now we have a real-life clown to prove it.'_ Came the bitter thought.

"Time to get moving." he muttered, his training from Fort Bragg taking over. Moving stealthily through the tight passageway, pausing against a nearby wall, he steadily opened the doors that lead to the fifth car open. With weapon raised, the weapons specialist proceeded forward in military fashion, checking his corners. In front of him were a set of stairs. Beside it was a door. Just as Forest approached the door, he heard a noise from the top of the stairs, followed by cussing. Cautiously, he slowly crept up the stairs, each step was slow and light.

When he reached the top of the stairs, he studied the area. From the look of it, this was the dining car. A few bodies were lying on the floor. One was propped up still in its chair behind a table. Sitting casually on the second table in front of the cadaver was a man in a blue sleeveless shirt and jeans. Dangling from one of his wrists were a pair of handcuffs. Forest instantly recognized the figure as Billy Coen based on the description. The convict was busy fidgeting with his wrist cuff, trying to use a knife for a make-shift key. From the look of it, Coen was not succeeding.

His back was facing the weapons specialist.

Forest raised his weapon, somewhat amused by the sight before him.

"Looking for a key?" He murmured.

Coen turned. He glanced at Forest with annoyance, rolling his eyes.

"Oh, great." He muttered.

"Weapon on the floor, hands in the air." Forest growled.

Before Coen could even reply, the body behind him started to quiver.

Both men looked over at it surprised.

"Sir, are you alright? Can you hear me?" Forest spoke loudly.

Coen was about to approach the figure when its head dropped to his feet. Rather than the red colour of blood, a putrid green fluid flowed outward. What happened after that was enough to make any sane man run around screaming.

The body started to dissolve into a large pool of thick black leeches that flowed over until it stopped directly in front of Coen. Soon, the pool started to build itself up. To the weapon specialist's horror, the leech conglomerate started to change. Their bodies started to merge together. The way the skin pulsated and smoothed itself reminded the weapons specialist of clay. Forest felt certain cords of his sanity threatening to snap as the shapeless mass suddenly transformed into a man that loomed over the convict.

Two seconds after it formed, the homunculus or golem, whatever it might had been, leered down at Coen. The former Marine backed away slowly. He took no more than five steps when the entity started to move toward him.

The way in which the creature had moved filled Forest with an overwhelming sense of revulsion. It was grotesquely fluid and rubbery, a mockery of the vertebrate's locomotive functions.

When the entity rose one of its long whip-like limbs over its head, Billy quickly dodged to the side as it came down, missing him by mere inches. It was at that moment Forest fired his rifle.

As round after round pierced its twisted body, the creature writhed and twitched in a bizarre orgiastic dance. If it had felt pain, it gave no indication.

When the ninth round struck its face, the head jerked back. Its form rippled.

It turned back to face him.

The creature's face was gone. In its place was a fissure.

And yet, it remained standing.

Forest's brain pounded, his adrenaline rushing through his system.

The fissure widened, and suddenly overflowed with leeches.

The body shifted as it transformed.

Forest fired his weapon frantically as he backed away, his eyes widened.

Click.

The weapons specialist pressed the trigger hairs.

Nothing.

The body was now an enormous swarm of leeches.

Dozens upon dozens of black bodies slithered, splattered and leapt toward the Bravo like an obscene tidal wave.

Forest could feel his eyes bulging out from their sockets as the wave splashed toward him.

"SHIT!" He shouted.

He tossed his rifle aside and turned to make a dash back down the stairs.

However, in his desperate attempt to escape, he half slid, half stumbled along the floor. The wave was almost upon him. Terror seized him.

"No, no, no! NO!" He yelled.

Forest winced as he heard gunfire close by. Three rounds were fired into the mass, yet they had not deterred the swarm.

The S.T.A.R.S. member looked up in surprise as the convict suddenly hauled him up onto his feet.

"Move!" Coen shouted as he grabbed onto Forest's arm.

The weapon specialist's mind felt like it was watching the experience outside of his own body. If he was rational and calm, he would have reflected on the irony of the situation.

With all the strength of his muscles, his legs sprung into action.

Soon, the pair descended down the flight of stairs, desperate to evade the approaching wave.

* * *

><p>Rebecca listened as another crack resounded. At first thinking that it was thunder, she re-evaluated her opinion as it repeated. It was barely noticeable through the loud cacophony of the storm raging outside, with its harsh winds mixing easily with the sounds of tree branches rustling and brushing against each other.<p>

The young Bravo medic paled as she came to realize what the noises were.

Gunfire.

'_Is Forest engaged in a firefight with Coen?'_ She wondered.

Her first thought was to rush over to her comrade's aid. However, that would mean leaving her prisoner unattended.

Worry etched the young girl's features.

'_What should I do?' S_he thought to herself.

Before she had a chance to decide, the sound of doors whooshing open caught their attention. Both captive and prisoner turned just in time to see Billy Coen emerge from the doors dragging Forest behind him. Rebecca's eyes widen with surprise at the unexpected sight. As soon as both men entered, they hastily slammed the doors behind them shut.

Both men panted heavily.

Forest backed away, muttering to himself.

"Jesus Christ." He murmured, trying to catch his breath.

Upon catching his, Billy glanced over to the surprised S.T.A.R.S. medic.

He gave a short laugh.

"Looks like we bumped into each other again, doll-face. Miss me?" He asked.

Rebecca recovered from her shock the moment the convict spoke.

"Don't call me that." She hissed, her weapon slightly raised.

Just when she was about to exert her authority, or at least try to, a sound caught the girl by surprise, cutting through the wind and thunder with such clarity that it was heard by all. Singing. In terms of its nature, it was a soprano. It held no lyrics. Rather, it was a wordless melody that had within it a deeply sinister quality.

Rebecca turned in the direction where the singing was perceived to be coming from. She searched until finally spotting something. Outlined by the moon was a figure standing on a nearby hill. The figure, who Rebecca identified as a man, was draped in a strange robe. His eyes were closed during his performance, as if in a trance. As he sang, black shapes squirmed by his feet.

For three minutes, he sang that strange tune.

All four passengers were hypnotized by the music, rooted to the spot.

After he stopped singing, the man opened his eyes.

He glared at the occupants within the train. It was a look of hatred and contempt.

The man's eyes narrowed.

Rebecca followed the direction of his gaze. As she turned her head, the young S.T.A.R.S. medic found herself staring at Star, who was countering the man's gaze with his own. His features were stoic.

"Who's the freak in the dress?" Forest asked.

No one answered.

As Rebecca looked back from the man to Star, a thought crossed her mind as she studied the latter's scarred and lupine features.

"Jack?" She called out. No answer. "Jack?"

The albino remained fixated on the figure in the white dress.

"Star?" she queried.

He turned to her in surprise.

"Is that your brother?" She asked.

Coen and Forest turned their heads at the mention of the albino having a brother.

"No." Star replied.

"Do you know who he is?"

The albino turned back to study the man in the distance, his face expressionless.

"I do not recognize him." He stated, his gaze fastened on the figure.

"Maybe you don't, but from the way he's looking at you, he has it in for you." Coen spoke up, gaining their attention.

Star was silent.

As Rebecca studied the robed figure, she wondered about the man's identity and his connection to her prisoner.

* * *

><p>The man glared down at the occupants with hostility. Hatred etched his entire being. His rage was further amplified by the sight of the albino.<p>

When he first attacked the train, the man was certain no one would survive the assault made by his children. However, much to the man's chagrin and surprise, one of its passengers managed to not only resist the attack, but also remained standing.

At first, the man looked upon the red-draped albino with curiosity, trying to decipher the enigma.

As he studied the figure, a new thought entered his mind, one that transformed his curiosity into hatred.

Red and white. Red and white.

The two colors that brought him much pain and suffering.

It was this juxtaposition that had brought him to this revelation.

'_You must be one of Umbrella's creations.'_ He thought with bitterness.

"You will die along with everyone else." The man spoke softly as he glared at the albino.

* * *

><p>Rebecca saw the figure move his lips, but she couldn't tell what he was saying. He was too far away from her and the others, making it impossible for them to hear.<p>

'_What are you saying?'_ She wondered.

The group were fixed in their positions, each one trying to determine what to make of the robed man.

The clouds slowly drifted over the moon, concealing all of its light behind a thick nebulous veil.

Rain and wind assaulted the train. The sound of the wind frightened Rebecca. Its acoustics were, to her, reminiscent of a long continuous howl or whine of an animal. It was the sound one would associate with hell. The force of the wind was such that the train was shaking slightly.

The train itself started to tilt over to one side, causing the group to stumble.

As Rebecca regained her footing, she looked up to find the image of the man on the hill moving away to her right.

"The hell?" Forest swore.

The whole train cart started to shift slowly back and forth to each side.

At first confused, the young S.T.A.R.S. medic quickly came to realize what was happening.

The train was moving!

* * *

><p>The Ecliptic Express creaked and groaned as it moved forward. Great wheels creaked as they started to turn, setting into motion not just the train itself, but also a series of events that would forever change the world. At first, its movements were sluggish. However, slowly but surely, it started to gain speed and momentum, dragging its unwitting occupants along into the dark night.<p> 


	6. Chapter Five: Cooperation

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Five: Cooperation**

**Arklay Management Training Facility**

**Location: Control Room**

William Birkin pressed both his index finger and thumb on the bridge of his nose, trying to keep himself from entering a state of apoplexy as he assessed the situation.

'_This should have been an easy operation. Why the hell do things have to be so complicated?'_ he thought to himself.

In front of him were various monitors that recorded live security feeds within the facility. As Birkin raised his head up to face the monitor, he turned to his right to look at his associate, a tall blonde man wearing sunglasses, who waited patiently next to a microphone on a desk. His face was unreadable. Birkin found himself envying the man for his ability to maintain his composure.

"What's taking Delta so long?" he asked.

His associate, Albert, was silent.

He sighed.

William and Albert were the supervisors in charge of Delta Team, one of Umbrella's security detachments for specimen handling. Thirty minutes ago, Delta Team was deployed within the designated area via stealth helicopter. After rappelling from their vehicle, several hundred meters from target destination, they had trekked through the forest. Aside from investigating the t-virus leak within Arklay Forest, the mission perimeters were simple: secure the Ecliptic Express, assess the situation and above all, secure the vehicle's cargo.

When Delta Team arrived onto the scene, however, things were completely out of hand. The four-man unit appeared in front of the vehicle, where they managed to catch a glimpse through the rain and the storm. Aside from t-virus-infected cadavers hungrily munching away on what looked like a stewardess, the container that once held the specimen was torn to shreds. The specimen was nowhere to be found. Even worse, from the sounds of gunfire, there were survivors.

That was when Albert made the order: crash the train and eliminate all incriminating evidence.

The radio in front of the blonde man crackled.

"This is Delta Team. This is Delta Team. We have taken control of the train. Over," the man on the other line said.

"Understood." Albert replied into the microphone, his voice low and silky smooth.

"This doesn't make any sense." murmured Birkin, "How did the t-virus leak? And why did it contaminate both the lab and the mansion, as well as a train that was three miles away?"

The blonde covered the mike.

"That's irrelevant," he stated, his voice emotionless. "We must make sure no knowledge of this gets outs out. Destroying the train is our only option."

He uncovered the mike and turned back to it.

"How far away are you from the nearest branch line?" Albert asked authoritatively.

"Ten minutes. Ten minutes until-"

The man's sentence was cut off as a scream pierced the background, followed by gunfire.

"What the hell is that?!"

"Delta One! Come in Delta One!" Albert spoke.

"Something's got hold of Delta Four! Deltas Two and Three, provide covering- AHHH! What are these things?! Get them off! GET THEM OFF!"

A chorus of blood-curdling screams were let loose. An inhuman, mechanical shriek jolted William from his seat, forcing him to cover his ears out of reflex.

Within a matter of seconds, the screams dissipated, leaving only static.

Birkin felt himself pale, his heart stuck inside of his throat.

Contact with Delta Team was lost.

* * *

><p>Onboard the Ecliptic Express, tension was building within the passenger section of the sixth car. Rebecca looked nervously at the others while at the same time trying to maintain her footing.<p>

"Who's controlling the train?" she asked.

Coen frowned.

"I don't know, but we need to work together if we're gonna make it off alive." the convict said.

The young S.T.A.R.S. medic looked at him incredulously.

"'Work with you?!' Are you -"

"Look, princess, in case you haven't noticed, things are much worse than you think." Coen interrupted. "I don't like the idea as much as you do, but then again we don't have much choice."

"He's right, Rebecca." Forest said, startling her.

Coen gave him a slight nod of thanks before continuing.

"That means you'll also have to uncuff Red here." he said, gesturing to Star.

Rebecca hesitated. Upon seeing her reaction, the youth turned to face her.

"If you wish, I will remain handcuffed. I do not wish for you to get into trouble," he said, his voice soft and reassuring.

Both she and the others blinked with surprise. By now, they were certain that the albino would have grabbed for any opportunity to be rid of those manacles. Had Rebecca been in his position, she would have.

The medic shifted with uncertainty. Opening her mouth to speak, she paused as her radio started to go off.

"Rebecca? Are you there? Over." Marini's voice cracked. The medic winced at the background noise. There was a lot of interference.

"Officer Chambers reporting." she said into the radio.

"Where are you? Why is the train -oving?" Marini's voice demanded.

"I'm in the third car, right where you left me, sir. Forest and Coen are here. Over."

"Okay. Good work. Where's Kevin and Edward?"

Rebecca winced at the mention of their names.

"They-they didn't make it." she answered solemnly.

Click.

There was a moment of silence on the other line. After five seconds, the radio crackled.

"Okay, you have new orders. I know you're not gonna like this, but you must release your prisoners and have them work together with you and Forest. With that said, keep them under close supervision, Coen in particular. Find a way to stop the train. If necessary, head over to the engine room. Aiken, Sullivan and I will try to catch up as soon as we cleared the rear compartments for possible survivors. Over and out." Marini replied.

Click. Rebecca sighed with relief. Her worries of getting into trouble were gone, though now they were replaced with new ones.

'_What could have happened for him to make the order?' _she wondered.

Looking into the face of her captive, she was surprised by the calmness of his features.

'_He either has the patience of a saint, or else he has some sort of handcuff fetish.' _Rebecca thought to herself as she went behind him.

Looking at her over his shoulder, Rebecca could detect the question in his look.

"I'm just going to remove your handcuffs." she reassured.

"Don't you even think about trying anything funny." Forest spoke up, gaining the albino's attention. "You so much as give us an ugly look and I'll blow that mug off your face!"

Hesitating, he gave a slight nod in response, his stoicism making it impossible to tell whether he took the threat seriously. He would be a fool not to.

Giving Forest a scolding look, to which he rolled his eyes in response, Rebecca shifted her attention back to the prisoner's manacles. She barely inserted the key in when she heard Star say something in a quieter tone to her.

"What of the woman and child?"

Pausing with one manacle in hand, Rebecca found herself wondering the same thing. From the way her CO spoke, it hadn't sounded like they had survived. A small part of her, though, was still holding onto the possibility that she was wrong.

"He didn't say," she answered. Until proven otherwise, might as stay neutral.

The two remained quiet as she worked the manacles.

A few seconds later, the cuffs came free.

Upon release, Star stretched his arms out in a manner that reminded Rebecca vaguely of a bird. Bones, tendons and muscles snapped and popped before the arms settled passively down to their sides. Turning to face her, Rebecca watched with surprise as the albino bowed slightly down in respect, with his right arm folded across his chest in a delicate manner, while the other arm was positioned behind him.

"My gratitude for my albeit temporary emancipation, Officer Chambers." he replied.

Rebecca stood there a little flustered. Forest's mouth dropped, earning a small chuckle from Coen. The albino glanced at the convict, cocking his head to one side, stopping him from making any more noise. After a moment of studying Coen, Star straightened himself, pulling his hood back up.

As Rebecca watched the albino tighten his hood around his head and neck, she found herself thinking about his appearance. Unlike the notable yet cliched image of a cultist draped with a loose hood, Star's hood was different. The way it clung around his head and neck reminded her heavily of the chain mail hoods worn by knights. She was also reminded of the hoods or headdresses worn by Islamic women to conceal their foreheads and scalps. With that thought in mind, Rebecca felt herself shift uncomfortably. She had practically forced the albino at gunpoint to remove his hood. Technically, she could be charged for abusing her own authority. For a brief moment, she felt appalled by her own actions. She was lucky that the hood wasn't of religious significance.

'_From now on, I'm going to be very, VERY careful!'_ the young girl promised herself.

After finishing, the albino looked over to her.

"What of my weapons?"

The Bravo medic glanced hesitantly over at the butterfly swords that were lying on a nearby seat. Seeing them made her ill with dread as she recalled her first encounter with her prisoner.

However, given that Coen himself was armed, she might have no choice in the matter. Besides which, Rebecca couldn't really justify herself for not trusting the albino as she reflected on his actions.

Since their meeting, Star was courteous and cooperative, always referring to her respectfully as 'Officer Chambers' rather than the less flattering terms used for police officers. He never made any obscene comments or gestures, nor was he threatening. The only time he seemed menacing was when he dealt with that dog, but even then he took care to make sure that she would not witness the event. After she replayed his actions in her head, Rebecca made her decision.

'_Better the devil that I know.'_ the Bravo medic thought as she turned around, reached over, and picked up the weapons.

She blinked with surprise as she tested their weight. They were a little heavy.

Neurons sparked within the young girl's mind as she reflected on what the albino told her. The strength and dexterity required for wielding such weapons was great, especially for a child of four.

Rebecca looked up at him questioningly before tilting her head down, deep in thought.

"Is something wrong?" Star asked.

The question hung in the air. Convict and police officer waited for her response, wondering what to make of her pause. Shaking her head, she waved off their worries.

"No, it's nothing." the medic replied as she carefully held out the exotic swords with both hands. Hesitating, the albino glanced up to her eyes with uncertainty. Receiving a nod of approval from her, he slowly reached out and took back his swords. With a jeweller's delicate care, they were cautiously placed into their sheath.

"You're going to need more than those." Coen said, causing Star to glance up at him.

"I can manage." he replied.

"Trust me, Red, it's better being prepared." the convict said.

The albino tilted his head to the side.

"What do you have in mind?" he inquired.

Coen glanced over at Rebecca.

"I don't suppose you have an extra weapon on you, princess?" the convict asked with a smirk.

The Bravo medic frowned. She resisted the urge to smack him.

"Yes, I do, as a matter of fact," she replied. "And stop calling me princess!"

The convict's smirk grew.

"Well then, what do I call you?" he asked.

Rebecca straightened herself as she spoke.

"I am Rebecca Chambers, though that's Officer Chambers to you!" she tried to say with authority.

Coen brushed it off with a short laugh.

"Whatever you say." he smirked.

The Bravo medic turned her attention over to the albino, trying desperately to focus on something other than hitting the convict. From her belt, she removed Dewey's weapon, which she had appropriated after his demise.

"Under normal circumstances, I wouldn't hand a civilian a loaded firearm. Unfortunately, I can hardly call this normal. Do you know how to use one?" she asked.

"I do, but I am not inclined to use it." Star answered.

"And why is that?" Forest asked.

He remained silent, looking uncomfortable.

Rebecca wondered if his reluctance to talk had something to do with his 'brother.'

"Being a S.T.A.R.S. member requires a willingness to use firearms." the medic pointed out as she held out the handgun.

She watched as Star digested the information.

After three seconds of silent deliberation, the albino reached out and took Dewey's weapon from her hand. He looked down at the handgun with both discomfort and familiarity as he ejected the clip out. After checking how much ammunition he had, the clip was inserted back into the base with an audible click. The albino hastily slid the weapon into one of his coat pockets, not bothering to slide the stock.

"We should get moving." Coen said after he checked his weapon.

He looked over at Star.

"Do you know if there are any emergency brakes onboard?" the convict asked.

The albino nodded.

"There should be one right behind you, close to the door." he replied.

Coen glanced over in surprise.

"Huh."

* * *

><p>Taking two steps forward, the convict raised his to grab the lever. Just as his fingers were about to make contact, alarms started to blare loudly inside of his head.<p>

The former Marine was not one to question his own instincts. In the past, they helped him get by on many occasions. Though he had started to question his luck, his instincts still served him well, especially in prison.

Now was not the time to question them.

Soon, his body took control. Instinctively, the convict dropped down onto the floor.

* * *

><p>Rebecca watched as something smashed through the window from the right half a second after Coen fell, stabbing through the wall and cutting the brake off.<p>

Everyone recoiled as pieces of glass flew everywhere. As Rebecca turned back to face Coen, she saw the object protruding from the wall.

It was, of all things, a chainsaw blade.

An incredibly _large_ chainsaw blade that must have been a foot and a half wide and approximately five feet long.

Heart pounding in her ears, the medic's eyes trailed slowly along the weapon's long and jagged edge over to its wielder. Concealed in shadow, Rebecca was unable to make out its form. She saw a vague outline that suggested something humongous, with a height and bulk that made the albino seem like a toothpick. Rebecca wanted to think that what dangled outside was human, but _ape_ seemed more like an appropriate word due to its muscular frame. On the other hand, the eerie red eyes, the only feature of the creature that could be seen, had an artificial and glassy look that suggested lenses.

Tilting its head upward, the eyes gleamed with the unmistakable appearance of contempt and mockery.

The entity reached up and grabbed onto the roof's ledge, laughing as it dangled there like some perverse and demonic monkey. The young medic plugged her ears, trying to block out the sound. The sheer insanity within the entity's laughter was enough to make her want to scream.

With the agility and gracefulness of an Olympic athlete, the entity swung upward back onto the train roof, removing the weapon from the wall at the same time. The creature trampled along the roof toward the back cars, all the while laughing.

Rebecca cringed at the sound as the creature disappeared.

The group waited to see if it was gone.

After a few seconds, a collective sigh filled the car.

The Bravo medic pondered to herself as she tried to make sense of what she just saw as well as the entity's actions.

Based on her observations, the creature, whatever it might had been, was malicious and cunning. It attacked Coen without provocation and without warning.

Part of her wondered if it was still around. Though it sounded like it had disappeared, it was possible that it was still nearby, waiting, toying with them.

She waited, listening for anything aside the raging storm outside.

Rebecca frowned.

Why had it stopped attacking?

As her mind went to work, the Bravo medic turned to see Forest help Coen up. Adding to her surprise was Star's sleek form standing in a fighting stance. The way he had positioned himself was one that seemed to shield her own smaller form. Even though the entity had disappeared, his body was tense. His breathing was slow and heavy.

His eyes were what really caught her attention.

They were full of fire, of determination, but there was also an emotion within them that really spoke volumes to the young girl.

Fear. Pure, overwhelming fear. They darted around from the roof to the nearby windows, almost like an animal trying to catch sight of a predator.

"Star?" she said softly.

He blinked, turning to face her, his guard lowered somewhat.

"Are you okay?" she asked with concern.

At first, he hadn't answered. He took a moment to calm himself. The sound of air hissing as it's inhaled and slowly exhaled mixed with sounds of the rain.

"I'm fine, thank you." the albino responded.

As she observed him, Rebecca noticed as he trembled slightly while at the same time straightening himself. He kept his gaze focused on the hallway.

"The hell was that?" Forest swore.

"I don't know, and right now I really don't care." Coen said, "Let's go."

"Go? Go where?" the weapons specialist demanded.

Coen pointed to the doors behind them.

Forest shook his head.

"No. No. HELL no!" he said.

"Listen-"

"The answer is no! I'm not going into that car! Not with those goddamn leeches back there!"

Rebecca looked over at him.

"Leeches?" she repeated.

Forest nodded.

"Yeah. Dozens of 'em. Big sons of bitches." he said with disgust.

The girl paled upon hearing this new information.

She looked over at Star to see his reaction, only to find his face unreadable.

"Look, they might already be gone." Coen tried to reason.

"Or they could be still in there. Let's just try to find another emergency brake back somewhere else." Forest replied.

Coen pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Red!" he called out.

Star turned to face him.

"Are there any other emergency brakes?" he asked.

"I am not certain." the albino answered, turning back to the hallway.

Coen frowned.

"Great. So, looks like the engine room's our top priority." he said with disapproval, glancing at the door that he and the Bravo member emerged from. Raising his weapon, he gestured to the others, signaling to follow his lead. One by one, the group slowly started to move toward the door.

Rebecca looked over at Star as they followed the others. His strange eyes were cast down, deep in contemplation.

"Is something on your mind?" the young medic asked.

The albino glanced up.

"Well, yes."

She waited for his explanation. He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze.

"It's with regards to that creature." he said.

"What about it?" she asked.

He hesitated for a moment, trying to articulate his thoughts.

"Why do you think it moved away from us?"

Now it was Rebecca's turn to hesitate. Not too long ago she was contemplating the same thing. At first, she considered the possibility that it was merely hiding, toying with them in the same fashion that a cat would with a terrified mouse. However, she remembered the way the creature clamored along the roof toward the back cars with psychotic glee.

Unconsciously, she turned to look down the car hallway. As Rebecca gazed down past the various rows of train seats, and past the decapitated corpses that sat comfortably within them, realization struck the medic in an instant.

She turned to face the others.

"WAIT!" she cried out.

Coen and Forest stopped from opening the door, startled by the girl's outburst.

"What now?" Coen said with impatience.

"We have to go back there! Captain Marini is in possible danger!" she replied, pointing to the back car, taking out her radio.

"What are you talking about?"

"The creature! It's heading to the back cars!"


	7. Chapter Six: The Investigation

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Six: The Investigation**

In the eighth car, Enrico Marini trudged through the hallways with his subordinates, his composure slightly disconcerted. It took all of the self-control within his body to keep himself from falling into a hysterical mess. Refusing to think about what he had witnessed for the sake of his own sanity, his lips pursed and jaw clenched as his mind shifted into a more productive operating mode. The Marine within was telling him that the only thing to do was to push forward and salvage what they could find, knowing that things would get progressively worse from here on.

It was hard to provide a definite assessment of the Bravos' situation. Somehow, they had unwittingly crossed over from the boundaries of everyday rationality, spiralling downward to some nightmare world of insanity, horror, and dark secrets, a world where specters were made tangible, no longer the subjects of fairy tales and campfire stories.

Moving his team back to the previous car to search through the passengers' private quarters, Marini entered a room by himself and looked around at its contents. On the right side of the room was fancy desk with a chair, its top concealed beneath various scattered papers. To the left was a black bunk bed, its occupant, a man in his mid twenties, lying peacefully underneath the blankets. As he came closer to inspect him, Marini saw the tell-tale sucker marks on parts of his skin. He frowned.

He had been less than inclined to believe the albino's self-proclaimed innocence. Part of the Bravo wanted to believe that the youth was just some crazed drug-addled hick, and that these visions were the result of being exposed to some sort of elaborate booby trap cleverly set up by him, but the more rational part of Marini poo-poohed the idea. It was too inconsistent. He had felt those damn tattered lips just barely brush against his face when the owner decided to take a bite out of him. Since that incident, Marini was forced to uncomfortably accept what the albino said as fact and had since treated the other bodies with heightened wariness, determined to not have a repeat of history. The first time was more than enough. Seeing the marks on the man as he slept discouraged him. He knew the futility of his actions, but Marini proceeded to check for a pulse, for some sign of life, of hope even. Finding nothing, he shook his head in disgust, sickened by how many lives were lost. As his hand brushed against the blanket, Marini's eyes crinkled at the sight of what looked like a small journal held loosely beneath the sleeper's arms. Pulling it from the dead man's grasp, he opened its cover, curious to see if there was anything within that could shed some light on what was happening here.

He blinked as he read each sentence. He double-checked to see if he was reading the journal correctly, and then he triple-checked. What he found raised more questions.

From what was written, it was obvious that the passenger hadn't arrived for the pleasurable experience of sightseeing.

According to the journal's writer, he, along with other unnamed persons, were in charge of investigating the remains of something referred to as the Arklay Mountain laboratory. These people were to move in two groups, with the writer's group moving in first to check what was left of an abandoned experiment.

The Bravo Captain raised his head from the page, confused by this revelation.

A laboratory, here, in the Arklay Mountains?

Marini was certain that it was the first time that he had heard such a thing.

He made a mental note to check with Kenneth and Rebecca on the subject, given their respective backgrounds in chemistry and biochemistry.

He was also curious about this 'abandoned' experiment.

'_What could it be? What kind of research were these people involved with? And most of all, who's funding it?'_ He wondered.

As Marini looked back down to continue reading, what he found chilled his blood.

Written in the next few pages were as followed:

'_July 16__th__ - Unfortunately, test production of B.O.W. (Type - Y139) had to be suspended because of this investigation. It's the same with Type Y-139. There's still so much we don't know about responses to the crustacean t-virus. Depending on the species and nurturing conditions, only minute doses of 't' bring about remarkable changes in solidity, size, multiplication of internal toxins and brain development. If these effects can be controlled, a powerful weapon could be produced.'_

Marini raised his head up, deep in thought. His mind was still trying to process the information. It all seemed too much for him. What caught his attention and drew great concern from him were the words 'virus' and 'weapon.' At first, he tried to convince himself otherwise.

'_Perhaps they were trying to create some form of pesticide?'_ He thought, trying to be rational. However, no matter how many times he would try to flip it, there was no looking past what was already there.

Were these people doing research on viral weaponry?

If so, Marini surmised, it's a very unusual weapon. The Bravo Captain had a vague notion of what the term 'crustacean' referred to.

A viral weapon that would enhance the size and intelligence of a lobster?

That was the grand plan? To create jumbo lobsters that would be utilized as weapons?

It sounded like the plotline for a crap B-film. Marini could almost imagine some James Bond type-villain played by Vincent Price rubbing his hands deviously together as he gleefully announces to the audience his maniacal plan, punctuating it with a cackle or two for added effect. It was an absurd image, but he found no humour in it.

His mind drifted to the leeches and the walking dead onboard. Where did they fit in? Were they also results of this 't-virus?'

The Bravo Captain shivered at the thought. The entire concept was unnerving.

More thoughts barraged his brain, raising even more questions, including the disturbing question of _who_ would utilize these weapons.

As a former Marine, Marini was exposed to countless horrors during the Gulf War. He had seen bodies of men, women and children, civilian and soldier alike, mangled by tank shells and high-calibur bullets. He'd seen whole men disappear into nothing but bits of red mist and burn-covered pulp upon triggering a single landmine. The thought of anyone, including his own government, using this 't-virus' or these creatures as weapons terrified him.

Marini eagerly read on, hoping that the author could divulge more info. To his disappointment, nothing much else was shed save for a small detail about the flaws within crustacean-based specimens, noting how certain sections of their shell would become fragile as a result, especially around the head.

He snorted derisively.

'_Great, now I have the means to protect myself from jumbo shrimp.'_ He thought sardonically as he pocketed the journal.

Searching through the room, Marini discovered a rather peculiar object concealed within a suitcase. It looked like some sort of ring, though one that he never saw before. The interior structure was pointed, meaning that it couldn't have been worn on one's hand.

Marini studied the structure carefully.

'_What is this?'_ He wondered.

Shaking his head with uncertainty, he tucked it away into his pocket. Maybe the others would be able to tell him.

Marini turned and hurried to meet with his subordinates, his heart heavy and troubled.

* * *

><p>Richard Aiken fidgeted with his Samurai Edge handgun as he continously moved in and out of different rooms, pondering whether or not their efforts were a waste. So far their search had yielded nothing save for the discovery of a weird-looking ring, an item that the Captain had found himself. None of them knew what the hell it was supposed to be. For all that he knew, it could be one of those Prince Albert piercings that he kept hearing about at the Station. Aiken let out a shudder before he went on to examine the room that he was currently in. A quick search led to the discovery of two items that provided some relief to his spirit, namely an eight-millimeter handgun along with three fresh clips of ammunition, both of which were hidden underneath a pillow. The owner was lying on the floor, his hand reaching out in death for his weapon.<p>

_'Sorry to do this.' _He apologized mentally as he took the items and departed, rejoining the others in the hallway.

The last room to be examined was identified by the stenciled lettering as the conductor's quarters. Entering the compartment with the Captain and Sullivan close behind, he peered around the room. A small desk sat to the right, while a comfy-looking bed with red sheets was positioned to the left. What caught Aiken's attention on the far side of the wall was a panel with a red flashing light. Curious, he went over and scrutinized it. It appeared to be some sort of switch, but like the ring he had no idea what it was for. Looking over at his CO questioningly, he received the go-ahead to activate it with a single nod.

Aiken looked back toward the panel, his brow sweating. After he lightly tapped his finger on the button, he recoiled and backed away, expecting something bad to happen. To the Bravos' surprise, a ladder descended down from the ceiling next to him. His joints loosened as he let out a sigh of relief, enjoying the freedom given to them. The feeling lasted until his CO signaled for him to take point. Nodding back, Aiken reluctantly crept up the ladder, worried about what waited for him above.

His eyes widened simultaneously with disbelief and joy.

It was a large open space with several tables that were knocked over onto their sides. At the opposite end of the room was a door. What made Aiken's heart swell with bliss was positioned right beside him - a bar counter with several different alcoholic beverages. Five stools that were positioned in front of the counter were currently unoccupied.

Aiken smiled.

"Thank you, God." He said softly as he pulled himself up to his feet.

THOOOM!

Aiken's smile disappeared as he aimed his handgun at the ceiling. It creaked and groaned, as if trying to support something heavy. A series of taps circulated around the room, slowly becoming even more audible with each tap. Aiken tried telling himself that a tree had landed on the roof, spilling either acorns or pine cones along the top, but as the taps progressed around the car, accompanied by the squeeks and groans of the roof, he kept craning his neck up, expecting some unthought of mass with multiple legs to come crashing down at a moment's notice, revealing the sinister orchestrator behind these noises.

The Bravo was deathly still as the sounds moved away from him. He waited for whatever that made the sound to appear. He had not known how long he stood in that spot. Time seemed irrelevant. Aiken glanced along the roof for some sign. Where had it-

Something tapped his shoulder, forcing him to whirl around to his right, only to find himself face-to-face with Marini.

"Whoa." The latter said with his hands raised. "Easy, Richard, it's just me."

Aiken exhaled in relief, shuddering as he lowered his weapon and wiped his damp forehead.

"I really hate this fuckin' train, sir." He muttered.

Marini nodded.

"I know."

"Well, at least we get free drinks." Aiken replied, pointing to the empty bar, a partial smile creeping up his face.

Marini breathed out a small chuckle.

"I know, very tempting, especially with all this," the Bravo Captain nodded. "Unfortunately, duty calls."

The younger of the two frowned.

As they looked over at their silent third, Sullivan, they watched as he walked quietly around the bar table, looking around carefully.

Aiken glanced up to the Bravo Captain questioningly.

Both men had the same thought in their minds, though it was Marini who voiced it.

"Noticed something out of the ordinary?" He asked.

"Yes, sir. Over here." Sullivan spoke up.

Aiken followed his CO around the counter, wondering what else was found. Barely concealed beneath was a small switch.

"What is that?" Marini muttered.

"You tell me. Should I flick it?" Sullivan asked.

"Do it."

There came a loud click and a creak as the shelf underneath the bar counter rotated downward to reveal a large rifle with boxes of ammunition. What had caught Aiken's attention were the size of the rounds. They looked to be about as long as his fingers!

The Bravos stared at their newest discovery, but it was Aiken who had voiced their surprise.

"Jesus."

* * *

><p>Marini reached down and carefully studied it.<p>

From its design, he identified it as a .557 Tyrannosaur elephant gun. A formidable weapon, the elephant gun, as its name suggested, was used for taking down big game in Africa. Finding it concealed onboard a train within the grasp of a bartender was no less than worrying.

_'What the hell was this monster of a thing doing here? And how the hell was it brought onboard unnoticed?'_ Marini wondered.

A further pressing question drilled itself into his skull.

Were there more weapons concealed away?

The idea of train staff installing hidden doors with dangerous weapons which could be brought up with the flick of a switch unnerved him greatly.  
>Marini shook his head.<br>None of this was making any sense.

Then again, maybe it had, and he was just refusing to look at the proverbial horse in the mouth.

He frowned.

'_Christ, what's happening to me? I sound like a possible candidate for the mental ward.'_ He thought to himself.

A grizzly image appeared from the plutonian recesses of his mind. A figure was strapped securely in a straitjacket, all the while singing _'They're Coming To Take Me Away, HA HA!' _as he was lead down a corridor. The figure's hair was messy, his eyes wide and glassy, his voice hoarse and full of hysteria as he continued to sing. Looking sadly upon this figure's mental state was his wife Maria, holding one child in her arms while the other stood numbly next to her, all the while listening to some quack's diagnosis.

'_Am I going crazy?'_ He wondered.

The thought made his insides cold. Revulsion and horror filled his heart. The idea of having Maria and Paquita witnessing him on the deep end of his sanity horrified him to no small extent. The stigma and the shock would be too much for them. He really hoped that would never come to pass.

He sighed.

As horrible as it sounded, he would rather believe the horrors onboard to be of the flesh and not just of the mind.

He shook his head.

'_Get a grip, Enrico,'_ he said to himself,_ 'there are people who are depending on you. You're not going insane, even though it may feel like it. Bat-fuckin shit crazy or not, you have an obligation to fulfill, Marine.' _

Marini quickly glanced at the men under his command.

Should he tell them?

Part of him wanted to inform them of the information that he came across, but another part of him was worried about their condition.

Aiken was already spooked, and he had not wanted to stress him out further. On the other hand, it was his obligation to look after those under his command.

The Bravo Captain pinched the bridge of his nose with one hand, lowering the mammoth weapon down with the other.

He hated the idea of keeping secrets from his team.

'_I'll tell them later when we reassembled with the rest of Bravo.'_ He thought.

"Are you okay, sir?" Aiken asked with concern.

Marini took his fingers off the bridge of his nose

"Yeah, just a slight headache. It's nothing." He said reassuringly.

Aiken didn't look convinced.

Ignoring him, Marini turned his attention back to the weapon. Taking the two shell boxes, both of which were loaded with ten rounds each, the Bravo Captain loaded in two rounds into the .557. With a loud click from the barrel as it snapped back in place, the weapon was now ready for some action.

"Let's do this." Marini said as he went toward the door further down.

* * *

><p>After passing through, Aiken followed after Marini into a dark hallway, all the while wary of their surroundings. Despite the elephant gun's discovery and the assurance that it brought him, it had the flip-side of also serving as a reminder of how powerless they truly were. That became apparent the moment they were barely less than a few steps in, when an outlandish being sluggishly wobbled into their field of vision from a doorway located to their left. Humanoid in appearance, the thing had pulsing green skin, the texture reminding one unpleasantly of fungi.<p>

What was even more disturbing about the creature were its limbs and the way it had moved - they were far too long and had a hideous elasticity with each clumsy step that made the thing seem as if it were from rubber. Aiken shuddered. It was like some grotesque marionette led around by invisible strings. No one moved as it made eye contact with them. Aiken had no way of knowing what the others were thinking, but he was doing everything he could to keep himself from losing his shit as those dead puppet eyes stared. After two seconds of anticipation, it swung its neck down and rotated it forward in an arch with a disgusting crack as it lurched over around the corner, moving away from them.

Marini moved forward in the direction where the creature disappeared, gesturing to the other Bravos to follow.

"This way." The elder S.T.A.R.S. member said.

"You do realize that's the direction where that thing went, right?" Aiken asked with uncertainty.

"Yes, Aiken, I know that." Marini said impatiently.

"I thought the idea was to get _away_ from the scary fucking thing, sir."

"True, but the fact that it moved away from us first makes me curious. C'mon." He gestured.

The Bravos followed suite, wondering what madness was hidden behind these walls.

* * *

><p>"What..the...fuck?" Marini said lowly.<p>

Covering the walls and floor were dozens upon dozens of small, pearl-like orbs oozing with slime.

"The fuck's going on here, Captain?" Aiken asked, his face taut, pale and sweaty, a look that either suggested nausea or crumbling nerves.

Marini made no reply as he ran his gloved hand along these strange pustule-like objects. Moving closer for inspection, Marini unconsciously winced as a powerful stink assaulted his olfactory senses, making him gag with revulsion, forcing him to pull back while covering his nose with his shirt in his other hand. At first he thought that it was some sort of fungal growth, but upon examination in the light from different angles, he saw that they were glistening, as if filled with liquid.

"I think these might be eggs." Marini said as he wiped his hands with disgust with a piece of tissue from his pocket. "I don't even want to know what laid them." Aiken muttered. Sullivan was quiet. The Bravo Captain shook his head.

'_How does he do it?'_ Marini wondered to himself.

The calm and control exuded by him was remarkable, especially given his background. Before he was a S.T.A.R.S. member, Kenneth Sullivan worked as a chemist at the Raccoon City University. For the most part, the man was aloof.

'_Nice to see that his head's on his shoulders.'_ Marini thought to himself as he shook his head.

"C'mon, let's get out of here. That thing shouldn't be far ahead." The Bravo Captain said, grimacing with disgust. As they continued forward, the men stumbled upon a single cabin. Marini reached out with a trembling hand and grabbed the handle. With a flick of his wrist, the door was flung open.

Marini sprung into a combat stance, weapon armed. The door banged with a loud thud as it hit the wall. With quick and efficient movements, he searched high and low with his sidearm, checking for signs of the strange entity.

Nothing.

Confusion etched itself onto his features. The creature stood roughly around six feet in height. Looking around at the room as a whole, there weren't a lot of places where it could hide without being exposed.

'_Where had the creature disappeared to?'_ He wondered.

The room had a single bed with a cabinet next to it. On the bed itself was a white jewelry box. The occupant was lying face down on the floor. Marini reached toward the neck and checked for a pulse, only to find none. Sighing, the Bravo Captain signaled to the other two to search the rest of the room, especially the cabinet, hoping for survivors.

As the Bravos searched the area, Marini's thoughts became melancholic at the sight of the small jewelry box on the bed, for he had recognized the kind of box that it was used for. To Marini, there was something truly saddening about the sight of the white ring box.

Life was interrupted.

The ring's value was no longer the same, nor had it the same meaning. What might have been a symbol of love was now nothing more than a memento mori.

Unconsciously, he touched the wedding band on his left hand.

'_Poor souls.'_ He thought glumly.

Slowly, Marini reached down and gingerly lifted up the box. With the same delicacy and deliberate slowness, he opened the box, curious to see was concealed within.

All melancholic thoughts turned to puzzlement as he gazed upon the object within his hand. He blinked as he discovered, to his surprise, another ring similar to what he had found in the lower levels. He pulled the bizarre object out from the box, carefully studying it. Before he could analyze it further, the lights started to flicker.

"What in the world-"Marini was cut off by the static of his radio.

"Captain! Are you there? Please pick up! Over!" Rebecca spoke frantically from the radio's speaker.

The Bravo Captain listened as the young girl repeated, startled by her tone. It sounded fearful. Marini picked up the radio, wondering what could have made the medic spooked.

"I can read you five-by-five, Rebecca, now settle down. What's your sit-rep?" He asked into the receiver.

Click.

"We're still in the same area, sir."

"Why haven't you done what you were ordered, Officer?" Marini asked sternly.

"There's something headed for you!"

Sullivan and Aiken stopped checking the cabinets, both of their heads raised upon hearing what was said over the radio.

"Say again?" Marini asked.

"We were attacked by some sort of creature! It's outside on the roof, and it's headed straight for you! You have got to get out of there!" Rebecca said with urgency.

Before Marini could respond, an elk bugle-like shriek cut through the rain and the wind like glass, causing him and the others to cover their ears.

"The fuck was that?" Aiken asked as he uncovered his ears.

He hadn't answered. His mind tried to formulate some sort of strategy. The Bravo Captain raised the radio.

"Listen up. We're currently located on the second floor of the semi-last car. There's a ladder in the conductor's cabin. At the top is a bar. We'll meet you there. Get your asses down here ASAP!" He ordered.

With that, the radio fell silent.

Marini turned to face the others.

"Alright, guys, let's hustle back to the bar double-time! GO!" he bellowed.

Without even hesitating, the trio exited the room, slamming the door shut behind them.

* * *

><p>"<em>Listen up. We''re currently located on the second floor of the semi-last car. There's a ladder in the conductor's cabin. At the top is a bar. We'll meet you there. Get your asses down here ASAP!"<em>

After Marini had said those words over the radio, Star burst into action, moving down the hallway toward the doors swiftly, startling Rebecca and the others.

"Hey!" Forest shouted, but to no avail. "Goddamn kid," he growled. Scowling, he, along with Coen and Rebecca chased after the albino, her small frame trying desperately to keep up with them.

* * *

><p>Slamming the doors behind them, the Bravos moved further back toward the bar. Shakily re-checking his weapons, Marini directed their attention toward the hallway entrance.<p>

"Space yourselves out," the Bravo Captain rumbled, "we have to-" He was cut off by a loud inhuman shriek, the sound originating from somewhere behind them. Turning slowly, the group listened as a series of loud and sharp taps pattered along the walls. Following them upward, they watched as lights started to flicker, the chandelier swaying from side-to-side as the taps increased in frequency. Each time it swung, shadows danced along the walls, furnishings and ceiling, giving the room a fascinatingly hypnotic quality. Time itself seemed to slow for the Bravos as the chandelier shifted in a metronome-like rhythm. Raising the elephant gun, Marini stared with dreaded expectancy, so focused that he couldn't tell if he was drawing the weapon up quickly or slowly. That sensation came to a halt as something violently smashed into the ceiling, causing the chandelier to collapse. Bouncing off a counter, cracking loudly on a chair, its spell and glass crystals fragmented each time they made contact with a surface before finally shattering onto the floor.

Seemingly taking the chandelier's destruction as a cue, the ceiling caved in.

As the debris died down, Marini became aware of eight eyes - two large round black orbs symmetrically bordered by three smaller ones along each side - staring at him from a cracked yellow and brown carapace, its head and thorax fused together and supported by eight long limbs. Its mouth, or what constituted as such since they resembled claws, dripped with fluid and twitched with predatory anticipation. As the creature flexed its claws and raised its spear-like tail, Marini's mind caught up with him as he began to realize the dangerousness of their situation.

"GET BACK!" He barked, "EVERYONE, GET BACK!" Putting a safe distance between it and them, the Bravos raised their weapons. "ON MY MARK, RIP THE BASTARD!" Marini growled.

It moved two feet forward before stopping abruptly, looking around with claws and tail raised. Marini blinked. What-

A shrill cry reminiscent to nails on a blackboard shrieked into the night, causing the group to flinch. It was a wonder that their eardrums were not shattered. Uncovering their ears, the Bravos looked back at the creature. Whatever had made the noise had made it even more agitated. A loud hum or roar of a powerful engine, followed by the grating sound of metal being cut into drew the Bravos' attention to the space behind them as a whirling blade emerged from the ceiling. Sparks were flying everywhere as the blade kept cutting through steel, causing the Bravos to cover their eyes to avoid being blinded.

Ten grueling seconds of insufferable, agonizing waiting and cutting led to the appearance of an entity so strange that Marini himself believed that he was hallucinating, the victim of either a cleverly devised trap by the albino or stress. It was a thing that could only be from a dream or nightmare, from a drug-addled mind, so outlandish in its design and contour that it couldn't possibly exist except within the context of some Freudian landscape with touches of H.R. Giger.

Unlike the shelled creature behind them, the entity that stood before the Bravos was humanoid in shape. Marini had the crazy idea that it was female. It had to do with the way the hip was structured that seemed to support the notion. However, aside from certain features, that was where any semblance of humanity ended. Bluish-black in color, a pair of heavy metallic boots clanked with each step as the thing rose, its towering form gloating over them. Though mostly clad within some sort of combat suit, the creature's arms and legs were covered with thick layers of blue wire and cables, the forelimbs wrapped in leather straps and braces that gave prominence to its impressive musculature. Marini trailed his eyes upward to see a sleek torso confined within an enormous metal casing, which was designed and armored to such an extent that it almost appeared as if the entity had no neck. A large dome-like helmet that had a smooth featureless face-plate at the front stared at them through red goggle-like lenses that glowed with a sinister aura.

As it glowered at the Bravos, Marini felt a surge of psychotic energy radiating from her as she let out a maniacal laugh.

What made the entity even more insidious was held within both of its hands - two enormous, custom-built chainsaws powered by what looked like V8 engines, spray painted orange and bound together in a series of leather straps, they formed a single and formidable-looking weapon that was capable of murderous mayhem and absolute carnage.

As the titaness let out a mechanical howl that seemed to be challenging them, Marini tried desperately not to panic


	8. Chapter Seven: Empress

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Seven: Empress**

Kenneth J. Sullivan always tried to maintain a cool and calm demeanor, especially in the face of danger. It allowed him to be more analytical and cautious. However, his current predicament made it difficult to keep up the facade of stoicism. He was terrified. He and his team were blocked in, with no possible exit. In front of them stood a twelve-foot thing wearing some sort of armor, carrying a dual chainsaw, while behind them was a scorpion that he estimates to be, with the tail, three or four meters in height and one point five meters thick.

"Aw, bullshit!" Aiken cursed.

"MOVE!" Marini roared.

Before Sullivan even had a chance to react, the armored entity raised her weapon and smashed its frame against a table that was lying nearby off the floor. As the table flew up, Sullivan reflexively raised his arms and shouted in alarm. Pain flared from his arms and chest as he collapsed onto the ground.

"Kenneth!"

Gunfire filled the train car.

Sullivan tried to sit up, but found himself unable to. A heavy weight was pressing down on him, making it difficult to breathe. The table, he realized, was pinning him down, making him very vulnerable. The sound of multiple taps caused him to tilt his head back to look up. The scorpion was starting to move toward him.

With horror and alarm, Sullivan struggled underneath the table, desperately trying to escape, praying to whoever would listen.

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini charged over to Sullivan's position as Aiken laid suppressing fire on the giant armored being. To his chagrin, the damned scorpion was laying its beady little eyes on the disabled Bravo, looking at him as if he were a ripe meal. When the bastard was no more than a foot away from him, Marini fired the .557 Tyrannosaur.<p>

A deafening crack filled the air, followed by a shriek as the weapon jerked upward. The creature stumbled back three feet away from him. He looked over at the downed officer.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"I have a fucking table on me! Does it look like I'm alright?! GET ME OUT OF HERE!" Sullivan snapped.

"Just hold on." Marini said as he grabbed hold of the table. The muscles in his biceps and forearms strained as the table was lifted. He had almost finished when he sensed a presence close by. Looking up, he ducked down as the scorpion's tail darted for him, missing his skull by mere inches. The floor trembled at the impact of the strike. Marini frantically raised the elephant gun and fired off another round. Pieces of the shell broke off from the blast, though the creature remained standing. Spiderweb-like cracks surrounded the crater that he blew into the creature's head. As Marini gazed upon the fissures, he recalled the contents of that journal. He quickly reached into his pocket and reloaded with some fresh rounds. After he was done reloading his weapon, he fired. The scorpion shrieked from the blast, stumbling back three feet. Marini fired the second round and started to reload. As the scorpion regained its footing, it raised its claws, protectively guarding its head.

Marini smirked as he finished reloading.

'_Like that will protect you.' _He thought smugly, taking aim.

BOOM!

Lowering his weapon, he was surprised to find that it continued to move forward.

BOOM!

Staring worriedly at the scorpion, just barely a foot away, Marini was about to reload when the thing lashed out with the back of its claw. Pain flared in his arms, forcing him to release the elephant gun along with the box of ammunition as he collapsed away from Sullivan, slamming into the bar table. It was a miracle that none of his bones were broken!

Cursing loudly, Marini frantically tried to recollect them.

* * *

><p>Aiken cursed as he loaded in his only remaining clip. He frowned.<p>

What the hell should he do?!

Gunfire was not having any discernable effect on the damn psycho. Instead, it just made her even angrier, causing her to swing those massive chainsaws with the violent gracefulness of a Roman gladiator drugged with Crystal Meth, cutting through the walls and carpet alike. He received slight grazes and cuts on his clothes, but thankfully he had been agile enough to keep himself one step ahead of her. All he needed was some sort of tactic to-

His luck struck out in the next second as she extended her leg and kicked him squarely in the solar plexus. His body soared back. Pain flared in his ribs. He felt himself mentally scream a series of curses for not reacting in time.

'_Stupid stupid stupid!'_ He cursed. He grunted as he collapsed onto the floor. When he opened his eyes, he found himself staring into the mandibles of the giant scorpion. Saliva spilled onto his forehead as the arthropod looked at him hungrily.

THOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOM.

The rumbling of the floor caused Aiken to slowly lower his gaze. To his horror, the humanoid juggernaut was running toward him at an alarming speed, dragging one end of the dual chainsaws along the carpet.

Shifting his eyes back he watched as the scorpion raised its stinger, rearing it back to deliver its killing blow. Tightening the muscles in his jaw, Aiken quickly rolled over to the right as the two collided into each other. The spear-like tip repeatedly jabbed and deflected off of the humanoid's armored shoulder as the chainsaw chewed its way slowly through its right claw. Shrieks of pain and rage echoed across the room, deafening the Bravo as plumes of smoke and sparks filled up the air. The two creatures grappled with one another, neither one willing to let go.

"RICHARD!"

Looking over to where he heard the voice, Aiken spotted Marini trying to lift the table off of Sullivan.

"Get your ass over here!" He barked.

Aiken stepped forward only to cry out as something large knocked him down. Looking back at the two combatants, he got back to his feet, keeping a steady eye on them as they shoved and delivered blows, trying to overpower each other. There was constant movement.

Aiken swallowed, exhaling loudly through his nostrils.

He had to time it carefully. If the timing was off, it could potentially mean his own demise.

The scorpion pushed the humanoid to the other end of the room.

Seeing that as an opportunity, Aiken bolted over to Sullivan's position.

In a sudden move, the humanoid lashed back at the creature, shoving it back with strength and speed surprising for something so large.

Oh shit!

The distance between himself and the two creatures was being covered very quickly.

Shit, shit, shit!

In a last minute effort, Aiken dived next to his comrades, the ground shuddering five inches away from his foot as the two creatures struggled for dominance. Screaming, Aiken raised his arms protectively over his head, folding himself into a fetal position as the psycho's foot slammed down.

THOOOM!

* * *

><p>"RICHARD!" Marini cried.<p>

As the creatures pulled back, he saw Aiken lying there, shaking furiously before finally rising up onto rubbery legs.

"Grab that end of the table." Marini ordered, sighing with relief, "Okay, on a count to three. One. Two. Three!"

The two men groaned as they lifted it up.

"Kenneth, crawl!" Marini muttered through gritted teeth. Sullivan pushed himself back out from under the table with his elbows, wincing with each movement. Once he was out, the Bravos set the table back down.

"How ya feeling? Can you walk?"

"My chest hurts. I...I'm having some trouble breathing." Sullivan gasped out, wincing in pain.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay." Aiken tried to reassure.

The Bravos flinched as a loud roar filled the compartment, followed by a crash. They looked over in time to see the humanoid standing over the scorpion, which was pitifully lying on its back, struggling to get back up. The titaness had her foot down on its belly. Judging from the way she was hunched over and how she gripped the handles of her weapon, she was beyond angry. She was pissed.

"C'mon. Let's get the fuck out of here." Marini whispered as he and Aiken lifted Sullivan onto his feet.

The titaness rammed her weapon into the scorpion's limbs, eliciting a shriek of agony, causing Aiken to nearly drop his wounded comrade. The Bravos crept over toward the ladder, eager to get out while they still could.

* * *

><p>Empress Type-1210 was furious. She was just about to deliver her own punishment onto the human with the brush cut when the damn scorpion intervened. She then found herself in a brawling match that lasted far too long for her own liking. Aside from some bruising, the scorpion caused some dents in her armor, especially around the helmet. The titaness wasn't concerned about the damage, however. It was the opportunity lost that angered her the most. She looked down at her prey. The creature was wriggling under her massive foot, frantically trying to get away. While not what the Empress had originally wanted, she would have to make due with what she had. There would be time to collect the others.<p>

She readied her prized chainsaws for the meal. Mechanical blades whirled as they carved into its shell. The scorpion cried out, louder than before. The sounds of its shell being crunched, the audible popping of muscle and the powerful engines roaring away mixed with its screams, echoing across the room. Blood and bits of flesh sprayed onto the walls and tables. Eventually, the shrieks turned into one long and horrific gurgle before finally dissipating along with the chainsaw engines. In the train compartment, only one figure remained, standing victoriously over her prize. After roughly removing her weapons from the scorpion's remains, Empress studied her bloodied hands with a joyful, almost child-like quality. Before she had a chance to continue her examination, a sharp pain like piercing glass caused the titaness to reach up and grab both sides of her head screaming.

A voice, cold and mechanical, audible only to her, spoke.

"_**Forgetting ourselves, are we? Remember your objective. Play time will have to wait," **_the voice said. _**"Collect the subject, or face the consequences."**_

The pain disappeared, but Empress' rage and bloodlust grew anew.

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini watched as Aiken scurried down the ladder, focused on getting Sullivan out of harm's way, trying not to listen the horrible sounds of wet meat being torn and hitting the walls. Once the younger officer was at the foot of the ladder, the Bravo Captain started to lower Sullivan down. His arms and back strained as he continued to lower the officer down, who groaned in pain. The scorpion's screams had ceased. Marini nervously looked over his shoulder and shuddered.<p>

The damn thing was now being pulled apart.

After Sullivan was lowered, the Bravo Captain started his descent. He was half way down when the titaness let out a pain-filled scream that nearly made him fall off the ladder. The elder officer hastily climbed off and went over to Sullivan's side, draping the Bravo's right arm around his left shoulder. Together with Aiken, they hastily scurried out the door and into the hallway. Upon closing the door behind them, a figure appeared before the group, startling them. Marini drew out his sidearm and aimed with his right hand but stopped when he finally saw who it was.

It was the prisoner.

Marini sighed, his hand easing off of the trigger.

"Jesus, you scared the hell out of us." He said.

"My apologies, sir." The albino replied.

The Bravo Captain frowned.

"Don't worry." He said. "I would say sorry for thinking you're full of horse shit, but now's not the time. Where are the others?"

As if on cue, Forest, a man that Marini presumed to be Coen, and Rebecca ran through the hallway over to their position. The young medic panted as she tried to catch her breath. The other Bravo, however, was furious, aiming his sidearm at the albino.

"You! Get up against the wall!" He barked.

"But I-"

"Against the wall! Hands where I can see 'em!"

* * *

><p>Rebecca watched as her comrade marched up to Star. Before they could even respond to his orders, something crashed through the windows at the other end of the hallway, startling the group. Her pulse quickened as she gazed on the nightmarish sight before her. A twelve-foot figure encased in some bizarre form of armor with wires running down its arms and neck stood there, carrying what looked like two massive chainsaws strapped together. Its concealed eyes glowed with a hellish red aura as it howled in primal rage, mixing with the sounds of the running chainsaws.<p>

Coen stared with disbelief.

"What the hell is _that_?!" The convict asked slowly.

Forest's eyes were bulging out of their sockets.

"It's her! That's the thing that got Kev!" He cried out. Before anyone could respond, it started to charge forward, the chainsaws whirling hungrily for meat.

"HAUL ASS! " Marini roared.

Despite his order, Rebecca couldn't move. She willed her legs to move, but they were rooted to the spot. Nothing within the Police Training Manual prepared her for this, leaving her feeling helpless and terrified.

A rough hand shook her by the shoulder.

"C'mon, girl, fuckin' shift it into gear! Take Sullivan and head back!" Marini said through gritted teeth.

Rebecca nodded, returning to her senses as she helped carry her comrade. From the way he was clutching his chest, as well as his laboured breathing, he might have some broken ribs. The journey back to the entrance was a staggeringly long and arduous task, with the weight of her comrade and her growing terror pressing on her shoulders.

"Covering fire!" Coen shouted. The sounds and smell of echoing gunfire, running motors, rage-filled howls and shouting bombarded her sensory perception with furious abandon, threatening to put the girl into a state of absolute hysteria. The sounds of train doors slamming behind her made her look back up. The creature pounded, roaring angrily, causing Rebecca to flinch. The doors themselves were in danger of being smashed off completely.

"Barricade the door!" Marini ordered.

Coen, Star and Forest grabbed whatever bags they could. Piles upon piles suitcases, along with a few trolleys, were laid out. By the time they were finished, there was a massive wall of luggage stemming from the floor to the ceiling. Kenneth groaned as he shifted uncomfortably on his comrades' shoulders.

Star stood next to them, eyeing the door with stark terror.

Marini shook his head. "We need to keep moving. Let's head -"

He was cut off by a loud cacophony of noise that filled the car that they were in, the very wails of the damned, straight from hell itself. The group whipped around. Rebecca watched with horror as the once-deceased bodies of the passengers twitched and jerked as they slowly rose up from their scattered positions. She paled as one of them made direct eye contact with her, filling her with revulsion. Despite their clothing, faces and varying hairstyles, Rebecca couldn't even think of them as people, let alone as human beings. Whatever it was that defined them as human was gone. What rose back up onto their dead feet, wearing their dead flesh, could only be described as monstrous bastardizations of their original selves.

_Creatures born from corruption. Zombies._

Rebecca was startled by the thought, but the truth was that there couldn't have been a more appropriate way to describe them. There was something so completely and utterly vile about these entities that it could be felt on an instinctual level. Once they were on their feet, the passengers - no, creatures, - started to march over toward them with a disturbing uniformity.

"Jesus." Aiken muttered.

"I used up my last clip. How much ammunition do we all have?" Marini asked.

"No ammo here."

"Chambers?"

Rebecca stared into the eyes of the approaching ghoul.

"Chambers!" Marini said sharply, causing her to flinch.

"Two clips, sir." She answered, holding her weapon with her free hand.

"Got nine rounds for the Magnum." Coen piped up.

"No more clips for the sidearm. Want me to use ole painless?" Forest asked, pointing to the strapped grenade launcher on his back.

"Absolutely not! They're too close to our position." Marini snapped.

"Take these, sir." Sullivan groaned. He reached into his vest and extracted three ammunition clips. He held them out to his comrades."I'm in no condition to fight."

"Are you sure?" The Bravo Captain asked.

The injured officer nodded.

With a nod of thanks, Marini took the clips and handed one to both Forest and Aiken, who removed himself from Sullivan's side, hastily reloading. The undead were now only five feet away.

"Take 'em-"

CRASH!

THOOMTHOOMTHOOM!

The group whipped to their right to see the titaness dangling off the side of the moving train car. With her free hand, she stabbed her weapon through the train window and started to drag it toward the Bravos, slicing through the wall as well as through two of the undead that were unfortunate enough to be caught in her path. Sparks blazed furiously as the serrated edges of the chainsaw carved through metal before messily separating the first zombie's lower jaw and cranium from the neck, leaving only a blood-spraying stump. The second zombie was sliced through the torso, its organs spilling out. Rebecca gagged with disgust. Blood geysered across the floor and ceiling as the saws ate their way through bone and muscle.

"Focus fire on that bitch!" Marini barked.

"But sir, what about the others?" Rebecca asked.

"I'll deal with these creatures." Star answered. With that, he withdrew the two large swords from their sheath and moved toward the approaching cadavers while in a fighting stance. When he was no more than three feet, he lunged.

"Everyone, form up on the kid! Whatever you do, don't stop! MOVE IT! MOVE IT!" The Bravo CO ordered.

The Bravos backtracked toward the other door as the albino cleared the way as best as he could, but the titaness was filling the distance between them. Round after round slammed into the creature's body, but it still moved toward them with a sinister and murderous intent.

Rebecca struggled with the weight of her comrade, trying to keep him calm and awake. Aiken had left Sullivan's side and was providing fire support, trying to take down the titaness. When the medic turned to see how Star was faring, she was stunned by what she saw. Though the scene was horrific and brutal, it was also mesmerizing to behold. She noted how his actions were not random spurts of uncontrollable rage, nor were there were any wasted movements. His eyes were narrow slits as he maintained what appeared to be a defensive position, only offering counter-strikes to the creatures that attacked first. Each step and strike was calculated and done with precision, the movement of the blades both fluid and graceful. Dodging one lashed-out set of hungry hands, the albino responded to his attacker with a whirling overhead slashing gesture, followed by two upward slashes that managed to dismember some of the others' limbs and heads, crimson arching up into the air. Combined with the roaring engines of the chainsaw with the echoing of gunfire in the car, he almost looked like he was dancing. Thrusting both blades downward into one of the creatures' heads, Rebecca watched as Star roughly removed one weapon and slammed the fist guard into the face of an approaching ghoul.

The medic flinched as the zombie's teeth flew out from its mouth, pulling her back into reality. Rebecca watched as Coen fired multiple shots with his Magnum. One shot went off target and hit a fire extinguisher that was five feet away from her group but close to the creature, causing it to explode. To the girl's shock, the titaness let out a grunt, causing it to falter.

"Got ya." He muttered as he reloaded.

"Nice one!" Aiken called out.

The titaness suddenly pulled itself back onto the roof.

"Haul ass back to the next car!" Marini barked.

The Bravos hustled toward the door as the undead closed in on their position. Rebecca's heart pounded in her ears, trying to keep up with Sullivan on her shoulder. He coughed, letting out a groan of pain. As the doors opened, the Bravos hastily slipped inside, slamming the doors behind them.

Each person panted. They were now in the small connecting passage between the seventh car and the sixth.

"We can't stop. We need to keep moving." Marini panted.

The group opened the train door slowly, checking around. Rebecca sighed. They were back in the sixth car, where they had first encountered the albino.

'_We always come back to this spot.'_ She thought wryly.

THOOMTHOOMTHOOMTHOOM!

The group stopped, listening as the loud stomping on the roof passed by their position.

"I think it's clear." Aiken whispered.

The creature thrusted the chainsaw into the left window at the other end of the hallway, dragging it toward the Bravos.

Forest looked at him.

"You had to bloody jinx us." He muttered.

"Forest, quit your bitching and shoot the damn thing off!" Marini snapped as fired at the creature's helmeted head.

After a moment of frenzied and intense shooting, the creature cried out, stopping its attack. With a speed that surprised the medic, the titaness leaped up back onto the roof.

"Move it, move it!" The Bravo Captain barked as the group hustled over to the doors at the other end of the hall.

Rebecca saw Forest hesitate.

"C'mon, snap out of it!" Coen said, grabbing his arm and dragging him along.

After slipping through the doors, out of the connecting passage, they quickly entered the fifth car, which had a door at the front as well as a staircase.

Rebecca watched as Aiken frowned.

"Which way?" He asked.

The sound of grating metal on the second floor caught the group's attention. The ceiling section above the dining area collapsed, revealing the massive, heavily armored freak.

"Oh c'mon! Give us a fuckin' break already!" Forest shouted as the creature approached the handrails overlooking the bottom floor.

The group ran forward. Rebecca stumbled as the metallic giant crashed onto the floor, the train shuddering from the impact.

"It's okay, Kenneth, we're almost there." She said softly. "Just bear with us a little longer. We're almost there."

The medic tried to maintain her balance and composure, but it was hard to do so for various reasons. For one, the train car was constantly tilting, threatening to toss them onto their asses at a moment's notice. Other problems that made it difficult to accomplish this task were both the psychopath with a chainsaw chasing after her team, as well as the man pressing his weight into her shoulder. It wasn't until the group approached the center of the car that she became aware of something else that made her wonder if some force, divine or otherwise, was working against them. As if the preceding were not inconvenient enough for the Bravos, a horde of undead were rising to their feet, completely surrounding them.

It was a scene of pure chaos.

The S.T.A.R.S. members struggled violently with the horde, shoving, shooting, slugging and kicking their way through, even going so far as pushing them toward the titaness, desperately trying to survive the vicious onslaught. The metallic being, when it was not slamming its massive frame and weapon into the undead, was swaying unsteadily down the hallway. A few zombies were helpless as its heavily-armored body crushed theirs against the wall and floor. Frustrated, the beast let out a howl of rage, stomping in a manner that reminded Rebecca of a child having a temper tantrum. She would have laughed were she not so terrified.

The creature bent down and suddenly leaped up, smashing through the ceiling. After finally making their way through the zombies, the group of survivors clustered out the door. Rain and wind pelted furiously at them. Rebecca raised up her free hand, trying to see what was ahead, wary of her surroundings, trying to keep her balance. In front of the group were the remains of the shredded shipping container. On both sides of the container were catwalks with hand rails to keep passengers from falling off. At the other end, the Bravos spotted the fourth car.

"Hold tight onto the handrails!" Marini shouted, his voice barely audible. As the group neared the container at the center, the familiar sound of stomping made Rebecca's eyes widen with alarm.

"Spread yourselves out and take both catwalks!" The CO shouted.

Rebecca was too exhausted. The constant running and Sullivan's added weight were becoming too much for her to handle. She was about to collapse when she felt her comrade's weight lifted off from her shoulder. He cried out in both pain and protest. At first, the medic thought that the mechanical demon had taken hold of him, but when she turned to her left, she watched with surprise as Star leaned down and carried Sullivan onto his own shoulder.

"Go! I'll take over!" The albino shouted to her.

With a nod of thanks, Rebecca grabbed onto the handrails and made her way toward the fourth car. She turned back to look over at her pursuer. The creature was standing erect on the train car, oblivious to the rain and wind. Lightning flashed behind it, giving the creature a very ominous appearance. It seemed to be studying the group intently. After five seconds of observation, the creature ripped the leather straps holding her weapon together, leaving her with two running chainsaws. When the humanoid looked over at Rebecca, it tilted its head up, then seemed to nod mockingly at her, as if saying 'I know what you're doing, you won't succeed.'

In a sudden move, the entity leaped forward onto the remains of the container and started to swing wildly downward, cutting the handrails of the catwalks.

The girl wobbled. Her body turned in the direction of the creature, threatening to spill onto the track.

"NO!" Rebecca cried out as she lost her balance and started to fall. A rough hand grabbed hold of hers. When she looked up, she was stunned to see Coen, who dragged her back toward the fourth car, firing his weapon at the same time. After five shots, the creature backed up toward the other car.

"Don't worry, I got ya." He grunted.

"TAKE COVER!" Forest shouted.

Rebecca heard a click, followed by a whistling sound. Looking up, she watched as something small headed toward the humanoid, leaving a mini smoke trail behind it.

BOOM!

In the next instant, there came a loud pop, causing the humanoid to be flung back into the next car, smashing through the door frame.

Forest whooped loudly. "How did you like that, huh?! Mess with the best, die like the rest, bitch!" He shouted, his voice laced with laughter.

He fired two more rounds into the train car. Two miniature explosions filled the car. Windows shattered. Rebecca looked at her comrade with concern as he laughed. He seemed...unhinged. It frightened her.

"Forest, quit fucking around and get your ass inside pronto!" Marini barked. The weapon specialist hesitated, stopped what he was doing and immediately darted inside. Rebecca felt a hand roughly grab her arm, causing her to look up.

"C'mon, princess!" the convict shouted as he dragged toward the fourth car entrance.

She shook herself free.

"I can go on my own!"

He shrugged. "Whatever."

"Billy!" She called out, stopping him in his tracks. "Thank you. Thank you for saving me."

The convict gave her a thumb's up before turning away.

As he walked away, Rebecca looked around for Sullivan.

"Kenneth?" She called.

"He's over there." Aiken replied, pointing to the corner.

The injured officer was in a semi-seated position, leaning toward the right. The forearm of his injured side, which was on the left, was supported diagonally across the chest, with the fingers pointing toward the opposite shoulder. His skin was pale. Kneeling beside him was Star, who took off his coat and draped it over him, keeping the Bravo warm.

The medic approached the albino.

"How is he?" She asked.

"He is having problems breathing as well as pains within the chest." He replied.

"Do you mind if I take over?"

"By all means."

She kneeled down to his position and took his pulse, noting how weak and fast it was.

"Don't move. I'm just going to take a look at your wounds, okay?"

Sullivan nodded lightheadedly.

"Yeah." He answered.

Slowly, she lowered the coat down and opened up the vest. After unbuttoning up his shirt, she examined his chest, checking for any abnormalities in chest movement. His breathing, she had found, was shallow. Rebecca then took off her backpack and extracted a white sheet. First, she started to fold and cut the sheet on a diagonal, producing two triangles. Then, the medic took one of the triangles and fitted it over the forearm and hand, the point extending beyond the elbow and the upper end over the shoulder on the uninjured side. Next, she tucked the base of the bandage under the injured arm to make a pocket that ran the length of the arm itself. After twisting the bandage round and round towards the body, thereby closing the pocket, gathering it at the elbow, bringing the lower end across the back and over the shoulder on the uninjured side, Rebecca finished by tightly tying off the sling, the knot resting in the hollow above the collarbone.

"Is that too tight?" She asked.

"No."

"Okay." The medic nodded, glad that she was able to help.

"Alright, everyone, time to move." Marini announced.

"Captain, I must advise against that. Kenneth is in no condition to keep running." Rebecca replied.

"We don't have much of a choice, Chambers."

"But Captain-"

"We're being pursued and this train is not stopping. If we don't worry about them now, it's only a matter of time before one of the two start to catch up."

"I know of our situation, Captain, but what about Kenneth? He has some broken ribs. If we keep pushing it, he could go into shock. We need to stop for a minute."

Marini stared hard at her. Rebecca felt like a small child under his gaze.

"We don't have a minute." He answered coldly. "Once we get to the engine room, then we can stop."

Mere seconds after he finished, a chainsaw crashed through the ceiling. Star let out a dog-like yelp as it grazed his left arm, causing him to stumble back into a wall.

In a sudden move, Aiken grabbed hold of Coen's Magnum.

Marini's eyes widened.

"Richard don't-"

Before he could finish, Aiken fired up at the titaness.

* * *

><p>Empress Type-1210 howled as a shot pounded into her helmet. She stumbled away, removing her weapon from the passageway, trying to maintain her balance on the train roof. A new pain caused her to scream, forcing her down onto her knees.<p>

"_**You imbecile! Your bloodlust nearly compromised your mission!" **_The voice snapped angrily. _**"I warn you, Empress, do not make me regret sending you. There's no time for making careless mistakes! Now, collect the subject!"**_

* * *

><p>Back inside the train, the titaness was not the only one suffering.<p>

"AIKEN, YOU STUPID FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Forest shouted. Various groans filled the train passage. Though the Bravo's efforts saved the others, it managed to render them both deaf and blind, causing the group to wander around aimlessly and helplessly.

* * *

><p>Rebecca stumbled, her eyes squinting, feeling her way along the wall with her free hand, terrified.<p>

"Captain? Richard? Forest? Star? Anyone?" The medic cried out, her voice filled with panic.

She couldn't even hear her own voice. The girl whimpered as she tried to search for the other door. Rebecca bumped into someone and recoiled in fright. She tried to call out, but all that she could hear was that blasted ringing. The medic prayed that her current condition was not permanent. She stopped walking and sat down, cursing this damned train. Tears dripped down her face.

"Mommy." She whimpered with a sob.

* * *

><p>After waiting several minutes, maybe half an hour, her sight returned, although somewhat splotchy. White patches of light dotted her vision, leaving her a little disoriented. Marini looked over at her and gestured for her to pick up Sullivan. She quickly wiped away her tears with embarrassment, checking her weapon before checking on her comrade, who remained leaning beside the wall. He was barely conscious, but stable. As the injured Bravo rose up, the red coat that was draped over him fell into an indelicate heap on the floor. The albino took a step over toward them, bent down and then collected his coat, sliding it back onto his sloped shoulders.<p>

Moving over to Sullivan's uninjured side to the right and placing his arm around the back of her neck to support him, Rebecca rubbed her right inner ear with her index and middle fingers, wincing. The ringing was still there, although she was able to hear the other members of her team. From their movements, they also seemed to be in similar conditions.

"ASSHOLE! FUCKING ASSHOLE!" Forest screamed at Aiken, grabbing at his collar.

"I'm sorry!" Her comrade shouted back.

Marini moved in between them, wobbling slightly.

"THAT'S ENOUGH!" He roared. Both Bravos backed down, wary of their Captain, who turned to face Aiken, his face full of anger.

"You. When I speak, stop whatever the fuck you're doing, listen and listen good." He growled.

"I-I'm sorry, sir."

The Bravo Captain glared at him for fifteen seconds before finally turning away abruptly.

"Is everyone alright?"

"Well, aside from the ringing, white flashes and dizziness, thanks to dickless here, I'm swell." Forest said sarcastically.

Marini glared, shutting him up.

"Is there anyone fit enough to take point?"

Star stepped forward.

"While my condition is not as optimal as I hope, I'll gladly aid you however I can." He answered.

The Bravo Captain hesitated before nodding.

"Let's go. You lead, but stay close enough so that we can see you." He muttered.

The albino nodded before unsteadily proceeding toward the doorway. After sliding it open, he peered cautiously into the new car. The compartment was softly lit. Aside from some luggage that might have been tossed aside during a struggle of some sort, it was empty. Satisfied, the albino moved up ahead. Slowly, each person followed after him.

As soon as Star was no more than eight feet from the doorway, the wall from his left imploded, knocking the albino down to the floor.

Lights flickered before dying out.

The compartment, though dark, still had enough light to allow for Rebecca and the others to see.

The titaness crashed through the gaping hole that she had made in the wall, landing near him. Her armor was blackened and charred. Pieces of flesh and wire were flaking off. The red lenses were cracked in a spiderweb-like pattern. Cold wind and rain filled the car as the entity took two steps toward the albino. As the creature approached him, she was met with another maelstrom of lead. Rebecca watched as everyone fired. Round after round pounded into the titaness, but to no avail. With one hand, she reached down and grabbed Star by the right leg, who feebly struggled. With his leg in hand, the humanoid started to drag him toward the exit. The albino had a look of stark terror, like an animal ensnared in a trap, kicking and clawing at the carpet.

Rebecca tried to aim her weapon, but the splotches of light were making it difficult to aim properly. After regaining her balance, she fired her entire clip.

Several rounds pounded into its back. One round actually caught the corner of its damaged dome-like helmet, causing the demonic creature to drop Star. The massive figure reached up to its face as it cried out. On the front of the helmet, a crack appeared. Slowly, the crack started to extend itself. In an instant, the helmet broke apart like shattered glass, revealing, to the Bravo's horror, the creature's head and face. The skin was white, almost a sickening yellow. On the scalp were the shaved remnants of reddish-brown hair. What whipped around and glared at Rebecca was a woman's face. At some point in time, she must have been an attractive woman, but it was horribly mutilated as a result of surgery. Rebecca herself was more than certain that what constituted surgery on behalf of the person who had performed the operation was nothing more than torture under the guise of a legitimate name. From the right side of the forehead, down past the eye, tracing along the lips and chin were medical clamps. The eyes were full of venomous hatred and insanity. The jaw and mouth were clenched and twisted. What remained of the nostrils were flared like an angry bull. With a loud yell, the she-demon yanked the chain on her weapon and charged toward her. Rebecca had no time to react as the creature grabbed hold of her by the throat with her left hand and hoisted her into the air, smacking Sullivan aside. She gasped, her eyes bulging from the lack of oxygen. She struggled to breathe, but the creature's vice-like grip around her throat made it impossible. The titaness' mouth formed itself into a sneer as it raised its chainsaw. Rebecca paled.

Before the creature had time to plunge her weapon into her intestines, several shouts filled the car as both prisoner and police officer lunged at her. Star lunged onto the creature's back, plunging the two swords through the gap in her armor, deep into her shoulder blades. He remained there, pressing his weight down. Coen and Forest were trying to restrain the one arm with the running chainsaw with all of their strength, while Marini rammed his shoulder into her mid-section, causing her to stagger and drop the medic.

Rebecca coughed, glad that the vice was gone from, taking several deep breaths. She made her way to Sullivan's side, checking on him. A crash caused her to stop and look back. The creature howled with rage as it wrenched its body to the right, throwing Coen and Forest off, causing them to careen toward the other end of the car. With its free hand, the entity backhanded Marini across the jaw, sending him onto a nearby chair with a grunt of pain. A long arm snaked itself up and grabbed hold of the albino latched onto her back before slamming him down onto the floor, causing him to cry out.

* * *

><p>Empress Type-1210 seethed as she gazed at the albino.<p>

She no longer cared about the pain that ached her body and her mind. Nor did she care about the mission, not anymore. All that she wanted now was blood. With that thought in mind, she readied her chainsaw once more.

* * *

><p>Rebecca helplessly watched as the creature stepped toward Star. It swung the chainsaw downward, only for the hilt to be caught by the albino's boots. Star strained his neck and arms as he forced himself into an awkward position.<p>

"Grab that damn thing and help him out!" Marini cried out, his lips swollen.

Soon, everyone grabbed hold of the creature's arms in all directions and yanked upwards. All of them strained their muscles, trying to help free the albino from his predicament. In a sudden instant, the train jerked and tilted, causing the chainsaw to jolt upward and bury itself into the creature's shoulder. The titaness screamed as her weapon chewed through her. Blood splattered onto the roof, walls, carpet, as well as the faces of Aiken and Coen. Rebecca screamed, unable to take in the horrible sight. The creature wove unsteadily toward the gaping hole that it made and fell, disappearing down into the thick forest outside.

* * *

><p>Dizziness and pain racked Empress Type-1210's body as it descended into the dark wood below. Soon, both sensations gave way to numbness. For a brief moment, the numbing of her body gave Empress a moment of clarity. She started to remember things about herself, about her past, her identity.<p>

She had a name, an actual name!

Not a code-name, not a serial number. A name.

So many thoughts and memories sailed through her mind. The more she took in this whirlwind of information, a peculiar sensation crept up inside of her. It was anger, but it was directed at herself. It was mixed with another emotion that she hadn't felt in ages: remorse.

Empress was confused as to why she would feel this way until her eyes widened with realization. The memory of her own demise came back with a startling vividness, along with the memory of who was responsible. If only she had known sooner. She could have prevented all of this. Why couldn't she have remembered?

As thoughts poured out, one stood out from the rest, a memory from her past. True horror struck her as she recalled every bitter detail. It was the day when she took a young man under her wing, with the intention of making him into a government agent. A killer. Even worse were the memories of what had happened after.

With the few drops of life leaving her, Empress Type-1210, formerly known as Amy Crystal, prayed that he would be freed from the horrific cycle that he has to endure.

* * *

><p>The train was quiet save for the heavy pants of its occupants. Aiken and Coen were wiping blood from their faces.<p>

"Jesus Christ." Marini muttered, rubbing his sore jaw, wincing in pain, shaking his head with disbelief. After several moments of silence, he spoke up again wearily.

"Alright everyone, take five."

With that, the group let out a sigh of relief. Rebecca wiped away her tears, taking in a few breaths as her CO approached her.

"How are you holding up?" Marini asked with concern.

"I'm fine." the girl said as she looked down in shame.

"First day on the job and already things are turning to shit." he muttered. "I want you take some time to recuperate, catch a breath, just get your thoughts together. I'll look after Kenneth for now. If I notice anything wrong with him, I'll let you know. Okay?"

The girl gave a slight nod.

Marini nodded back.

"Take it easy." he said before departing. As the medic felt herself relax slightly, she began to question what was happening around her. The whole experience felt as if one were stepping into the pages of Lewis Carol's _Alice in Wonderland_. Rebecca couldn't think of an even more appropriate title for comparison. Here she had unwittingly entered the rabbit hole and entered a world where nothing made sense. The medic wondered if there was even a bottom to this particular rabbit hole, worrying how long it would take until she became lost in madness.


	9. Chapter Eight: Road to Perdition

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Eight: Road to Perdition**

Rebecca Chambers anxiously sat in one of the passenger seats as she tried to regain control of herself, gazing quietly through one of the car windows at the passing silhouettes outside. It was almost impossible to see anything through the inky blackness of the glass itself. Lightning, rain and wind mercilessly assaulted the Ecliptic Express as it rumbled onward through the moonlit forest, moving at a steady pace toward whatever lied at the end of that long track. To Rebecca, the imagery served to mirror her own turmoil, both at home and in these bizarre circumstances. She felt lost. The incident with the chainsaw-wielding psychotic made the medic realize how close she was to getting killed. She looked at her watch, wondering how long her team had been on the train for.

Ten o'clock. God, it was only ten o'clock! When she left the station by helicopter, it was just a little after seven-thirty. How much horror would she have to endure until she snapped? The medic's mind drifted to the time before she had left for the station, back at her house.

* * *

><p><em>She had just finished packing her backpack in her room and was getting ready to leave. Several soft taps on her open door caused the girl to turn toward the sight that greeted her. Partially leaning against the doorway was her mother, a woman in her forties with long brown hair with a few curly bangs, dressed in a long, gray pants and a blue sweater.<em>

"_Hello, Kitty Cat." _

_Rebecca smiled. "Hi Momma!" She said cheerfully._

_As her parent approached, Rebecca's features faltered for a moment. The long, brown bangs of the older woman were brushed in a way to conceal her left eye, while her hands fidgeted with the sleeves on her sweater in a conscious manner, tugging them down as if afraid the young girl would see her skin. The medic winced at the sight before her. _

"_Momma, are you-"_

"_It's fine, Becky." Her mother waved. "Just fell down the stairs, that's all." _

_Rebecca stared at her unbelievingly._

"_Momma, let me-"_

"_I'm fine!" Her mother said a little loudly, startling the young girl before recollecting herself. "I'm sorry." The two stood there awkwardly. _

"_I-I take it you're headed for the police station."_

_Rebecca nodded._

"_I wanted to go early. It's my first day." She explained._

"_Would you like to be dropped off?" Her mother asked._

_The medic swallowed._

"_I-I'm okay, Momma."_

_Rebecca watched as her mother studied her thoughtfully._

"_You know that I don't approve of you taking this job."_

"_Momma-"_

"_You can do so much better than this!"_

"_But I have to!" She replied._

_The older woman looked at her._

"_Rebecca, listen to me carefully. I know what you are trying to do. You are a wonderful girl, but this is beyond you and me. Those offers from Umbrella and those universities are still available. Take whichever offer is the most appealing. You'll get a good salary. Just move away from this city, from this state and forget about me!"_

"_Forget about you?! How can you say that?!" Rebecca asked with disbelief._

"_I'm old, Becky! I can't run or hide! No matter where I go, he'll find me. But you...you still have a chance. Leave this place. You don't know what you're getting yourself into! You have a lot of opportunities ahead of you. Take one of those offers, move away, and find someone to take care of you and bring you happiness! Just forget about me! Leave this city and never look back!"_

_Rebecca shook her head, trying to block out what her mother was suggesting. _

"_Don't shake your head at me!" Her mother said angrily. "Don't shake your head!"_

_She turned away, her face heated. Strong hands grasped hold of her arms, although not tight enough to cause bruising, but enough to cause the girl to look directly into her mother's eyes as she slightly shook her. "Listen to me, damn it! Listen." Her mother said the last part softly, clutching the girl's arms. "Please. I'm not trying to be cruel. If I go, he'll come after you to get to me. I-I don't want anything to happen to you! I would be better off as a corpse if so much as a hair on you is harmed! I don't want you getting hurt on account of him!" She said the last part with detestation. _

"_But I can't...I can't just leave you..." the medic said softly as she looked down to hide her tears, her fists clenched. "I can get you out of this."_

_A warm hand touched her cheek. _

"_I am so blessed to have such a sweet child for a daughter."_

_The medic felt her defenses falter. _

"_I...I have to go." Rebecca said as she headed for the door._

"_Wait." Her mother said, causing her to stop._

_As the girl looked back, the older woman approached, removing something from her pocket._

"_I want you to have this." _

_Before Rebecca could question, a red choker with a gold jewel was placed into her hands. The girl stared at it in surprise._

"_Where did you get this?" She asked._

"_It belonged to your grandmother." Her mother answered with a slight smile. "It's something of a family heirloom, passed from mother to daughter. Your great-grandmother had passed it onto your grandmother, who had then passed it onto me. She said that as long as I wore it, it would bring me luck and protection."_

_Rebecca shook her head._

"_Considering the "luck" and "protection" that you're receiving, it's better off either in a jewelry store or the garbage." She muttered._

"_I like to think that it served its purpose."_

"_What do you mean?" The girl asked, blinking in surprise._

"_It gave me the blessing of your birth, and it kept me alive long enough to see you blossom into the woman that you have become." _

_Rebecca felt herself saddened by the earnest reply. If the world had consisted entirely of people with the same temperament and personality as her mother, she was certain that it would have been a beautiful place to live in._

"_Now, with that said, I am still waiting for a million dollars and the firm buttocks of either John Travolta or Chris Noth to rest my head on." her mother said with a slight shrug._

"_Mom!" Rebecca exclaimed with mortification. _

_Upon hearing that from her daughter, the older woman let out an infectious and melodious laugh. Soon even Rebecca herself had difficulty trying to contain her own. As their giggles filled the room, her mother broke loud wind, causing the two to double over into a fit of hysterics, clutching their own chests from laughing so hard. It took a considerable amount of time and energy to regain their composure. _

"_Ah, I can't breathe!" Her mother said as she wiped tears from her eyes. "Oh my god, I haven't laughed like that in a long time!"_

_After pausing to recollect themselves , both parent and offspring silently studied each other._

"_Would you like me to help you put it on?"_

_The medic bit her lip._

"_I-I would like that." The girl said, her face straining itself into a smile. _

_She stood still as her mother carefully wrapped the choker around her neck before clipping it on. After making sure that it wasn't too tight, the older woman took a step back and studied her appearance, her features softening._

"_My God, you look so much like your grandmother with that on." Her mother said thoughtfully. "You really have grown up." She added. _

_Rebecca looked away._

"_I-I have to go, Momma." She said._

_Her mother just watched her before nodding slightly._

"_I know. I know." The older woman went right up and kissed her on the cheek. She followed that up with a hug that melted Rebecca's heart. "Take care of yourself out there, Kitty Cat." she said softly._

_The girl nodded. _

"_I'll be back home as soon as possible. I love you, Mom." She said, trying to keep control of herself. After several seconds, maybe longer, the girl reluctantly left her mother's embrace and headed for the door. _

* * *

><p>The memory caused the young medic to unconsciously grasp onto the choker that she wore. Tears stung at her eyes as she realized how much she wanted to say to her mother. If she would die tonight, that would be the last time she would ever see her. She quickly wiped away her eyes, taking a sharp intake of breath as she tried to get her bearings.<p>

'_Get yourself together, girl.'_ Rebecca thought to herself. She shouldn't think such negative thoughts. She wasn't going to give up, nor could she afford to. She had to stay strong and fight long enough to survive another day.

'_I'll find a way out of this nightmare and make my way back to you, Mother.'_ The medic thought with renewed determination.

With a surprising burst of renewed energy, Rebecca pulled away from the window and turned to study everyone on board, determined to help anyone she could, trying to put her worries aside.

After the creature had fallen from the train, the group had taken a moment to recover from their ordeal and dispersed, each man lost in their own thoughts. The first to be examined was Sullivan, who was under the care of Marini himself. Both men were seated at the other end of the compartment.

"Feelin' better?" The Bravo Captain asked as she approached.

The medic nodded with affirmation.

"Yes, sir. Do you mind if I check on him?"

He shrugged.

"You're the medic. Carry on."

Upon hearing those words, Rebecca removed a pair of surgical gloves from her backpack. The audible snap of the rubber material against her small wrist indicated that the medic was now ready to begin her examination.

"How do you feel, Kenneth?" The girl asked as she checked Sullivan's eyes and pulse, making a mental note that it was slow but steady.

"Like I was hit by a table." Came the curt reply.

"Can I examine you?"

"Go ahead."

Rebecca started to feel along the sides of Sullivan's head for any sort of abnormalities, stopping now and then to glance at her hands before continuing downward. "I'm just checking to see if there are any other injuries."She explained. "Do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"No."

She continued uninterrupted. Upon finishing, the medic looked up.

"Okay, I'm done. If you have any concerns or need help with something, just let me know." Rebecca said as she replaced her rubber gloves with a fresher pair.

She then looked over at her CO. His eyes were cast down, deep in thought about something.

"Captain?"

His eyes wandered up to hers.

"Would you like to have those looked at?" She asked, gesturing to the bruises on his face.

Marini rubbed a hand against the sore areas, wincing slightly. "Nah, I'm good, I received a lot worse back in Afghanistan. This is nothing." He assured before straightening himself, cracking his neck slightly. His facial features held a grimness in its expression.

"Is something wrong?"

He fell silent for a moment, as if contemplating whether to answer her question. He looked toward Sullivan before returning his gaze back to her. "Tell me, do you either of you know of any laboratories around here, in the Arklay region?"

The girl blinked.

"In the mountains? Not that I know of." She replied. "Why?"

Marini unconsciously scratched the side of his jaw.

"Just reminiscing on some information that I found. I'll show you and the others later." He explained. "For now, just check with the others and see if they need anything."

Giving him a nod in reply, Rebecca gathered her things up, wondering what sort of information he had uncovered. As she stuffed the left-over materials into her backpack, the medic looked around for Forest before spotting him. Currently, he was seated in one of the front chairs approximately two rows away from her position, looking out for trouble. Despite his insistence that he was fine, Rebecca persisted in examining his injuries, making sure to ask about any sort of pains or headaches that he might be experiencing. Aside from minor bruising resulting from being tossed around, he was healthy.

When she approached Aiken and Coen, she found herself in a rather embarrassing situation. Standing further to the right of Forest's position, both men were wiping blood from their faces using some napkins recovered from the passenger seats. The convict had just removed his sticky sleeveless shirt, revealing an impressive set of six-pack abs. Rebecca was uncertain as to whether he had them before imprisonment or if prison life necessitated for him to bulk up. Regardless, she stopped and watched as he poured a passenger's unopened bottle of water onto his dirtied clothing, face and chest before taking out another napkin. As far as she could see, neither had any injuries aside from slight bruising. Coen noticed her gaze and smirked.

"Like what ya see?" He asked. "I ain't putting on a show, honey. Not unless you want to fit a few minutes alone with me in the restroom over there, but that's for adults only."

Rebecca's eyes widened as she felt her face flush.

'_Cheeky bastard.'_ She thought.

Desperate to hide the blush, the girl turned away to look somewhere else, only to find her gaze land on Star's giant and solemn form. Standing at the rear of the compartment, right in front of the gaping crater that the creature made and exited from earlier, surrounded by nothing but a few empty passenger seats, the albino traced his gloved fingers along the rough and jagged edges of the wall, as if determining whether this whole episode was real, before lowering his hand to his side. Wind and rain pelted him, the hems of his coat fluttering in the breeze, seemingly pulsing as if they were alive. The forest, with its numerous evergreens, was shrouded by darkness, nothing more than a collection of passing shadows. Star stared out at the dark wood with a look of silent contemplation.

Rebecca was startled by the image before her. The moonlight highlighted the contours of his form, rendering him in such a manner that he almost appeared..._otherworldly_. The albino's eyes, still locked on the passing shadows in a downward, troubled and sorrowful glance, were glowing in the moonlight. Even more startling was the effect that the light had on the crater as well. With its jagged and bent edges of steel pointing inward, gleaming through the darkness, what was left of the wall became a gaping, sharp-toothed maw from Hell that hungrily reached for Star. For a brief moment, Rebecca found herself recalling a scene from Laurence Olivier's _Hamlet_, where the titular character performed his famous to-be or not-to-be monologue near the ledge of a cliff overlooking the sea. She remembered how nervous she felt from seeing that scene. It was one of the few genuine moments that a film made her feel like she was going to be sick.

Lightning flashed violently outside as Star placed his right hand on the torn edge of the wall, inching closer toward the maw-like exit. Her heart jumped with a start as his head peered outward. She took two quick steps forward toward him, but paused momentarily as his massive frame shifted back into its original contemplative position.

'_Something must have caught his attention._ Rebecca thought to herself. Though thankful he hadn't tried to jump, the stomach-churning sensation that she felt from watching that movie returned. Moving at a slow pace, the medic approached the statuesque figure, keeping a careful eye on him.

"Hey." Rebecca said softly.

Star whipped around, startled.

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She apologized.

At the sight of the girl, the albino settled himself slightly.

"I am so sorry! I didn't mean to catch you off-guard like that!" said Rebecca.

"You have no need to apologize, Officer." He replied calmly.

The two were locked in an awkward moment of silence.

"Was there something you needed?" He asked.

"I just wanted to see how you were." She said, studying him for any sort of injuries. The medic's attention drifted to the bottom section of the left pauldron. It was slightly grazed, leaving a small but noticeable crack in the shoulder piece. Her eyes traced it downward before spotting a darker shade of red on the mid-section of the upper arm, almost close to the elbow. "You're hurt."

Star tilted his head to the side in confusion before following her gaze.

"I've forgotten about that." He replied, not jaded by the sight of the injury.

"Let me have a look."

The albino hesitated.

"It is nothing to be concerned about." He said.

"Please?" She asked.

After a few seconds, the albino reluctantly turned so that the girl could better examine the injury. She noted with worry that a great deal of the sleeve was dark red.

"How do you feel?" Rebecca asked with concern.

"Slightly dizzy." Star replied truthfully.

"Everything will be fine. Just come with me and sit down over here while I take a better look at it." she advised, pointing to the other side of the compartment, away from the hole in the wall. The medic escorted the albino, carefully keeping an eye on him to make sure he doesn't lose consciousness.

"Any problems with your breathing?" She asked.

"None whatsoever."

After making it to the other side, the medic replaced her own gloves with a pair made from latex.

"I'll need you to take off your coat."

The boy did as he was instructed, placing it onto a nearby chair before sitting down comfortably.

"Just hold still while I take a look." The medic said softly as she leaned toward him. Star glanced nervously at her. Slowly, she undid the buttons on his sleeve. Once she was finished with the last button, the sleeve was rolled up carefully. Rebecca eyed his large, gloved and paw-like hand. Why did he wear gloves indoors? And what was the significance of the bone-like decorations on his digits? As she wound up the sleeve, more of Star's glove, or rather, _gauntlet_, was revealed. After finishing halfway up his arm, her green eyes studied it carefully. Held together by a series of belts and buckles, the gauntlet concealed his entire forelimb, from elbow to digit. Rebecca looked up questioningly at its wearer. His figure was tense and apprehensive, shifting uncomfortably. Curious, she reached for one of the buckles holding the gauntlet in place. Star's eyes widened with alarm and worry.

"Don't!" He cried out. His exclamation startled everyone including herself, causing the girl to flinch as she retracted her hand away.

"What's wrong?" Rebecca asked softly.

The albino was silent for a few seconds, taking in a few breaths before recollecting himself. When he spoke, he was much more composed.

"I apologize for startling you like that. Truly, I am. It's just that...I'm very sensitive about my arms. The only people I would allow to see are my doctor and mother, but...even then, I do so out of reluctance." Star explained, though the latter part came out almost inaudible. His eyes were lowered, trying to avoid hers, shifting uncomfortably.

As Rebecca studied the albino's scarred face and his heavily concealed arms, she found herself recalling the mannerisms of her own mother. The undisputable look of shame in his eyes was enough of an answer, but she asked the question regardless.

"Did your brother do this to you?" She queried, making sure that no one else would hear.

He gave no response, but the medic detected some muscles stiffening at the mention. Rebecca gave a sympathetic nod.

"Don't worry. I won't take off your gauntlets, not if you don't want me to. I'm only going to look at the injury that you just received." She stated.

The assurance seemed to have calmed Star down, who gave an exhalation of relief. The medic proceeded to roll up the sleeve until finally seeing the rest of the arm. Despite being deathly thin, the arm's biceps were surprisingly taut and muscular, physically resembling the tightened coils in a knot. The strange composition of thinness, delicacy and strength made the medic recall the sleek forelimbs of an animal, like a wolf or a panther. Dark crimson flowed down from a nasty wound. The young Bravo took off her backpack and slipped out some bottled water, a white canister and some dressings. Removing the cap, the medic poured some water onto the wound. After wiping away the blood with a piece of cloth, she unscrewed the cap of the canister and shook it. Star eyed it warily as it rattled. One would think that he was confronted with a poisonous viper based on his reaction. Rebecca noticed the gaze and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to use a first-aid spray to seal up the epidermal tissue." She explained. "It will help stop infection. This is going to sting."

The can hissed as it sprayed its contents onto his wound, causing the albino to flinch.

"Calm down, calm down." Rebecca said softly. She then placed a piece of dressing gauze onto the wound and applied pressure before wrapping it up with a bandage.

"Is that too tight?" she asked as she finished tying the knot.

He started to shift his arm back and forth, testing the bandage. He shook his head.

"Just give it a little time and the body will work its course. For now, I recommend that you don't put too much strain on that arm or move it too often, otherwise you'll reopen the wound." The Bravo medic instructed.

"Understood."

"Great, looks like you're done!" She chirped happily.

As she rose up to her feet, the albino muttered something.

"Sorry?" She asked.

"Thank you," he repeated. "Thank you for helping me, for saving my life and with this."

She blushed.

"I wasn't the only one who saved you from that thing!" The medic pointed out, a little flustered.

Star nodded.

"I realize that. Regardless, I...I really appreciate your aid and kindness, Officer Chambers." He added quietly.

The medic smiled.

"Call me Rebecca."

Star blinked in surprise, caught off-guard. His lips parted slightly as if to ask why, but stopped. His feline-like eyes peered into hers, studying them. There was a look of confusion, as if he were expecting a different response. Mystified, even. It was possible, she reflected, that back in Arkham there was a lot more formality involved. She had a feeling, however, that the typical response to him was much colder and distant due to his bizarre condition.

Star cocked his head to the side, his eyes cast down thoughtfully. The medic waited uncomfortably for him to say something. Maybe she crossed a line somewhere.

"Is something wrong?" Rebecca asked, worried.

What the albino said in response puzzled the girl. He seemed to be barely conscious of himself saying the words as they poured out, as if deep in reflection:

"'_And the servant ran to meet her, and, said,_

_Let me I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher. _

_And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted and let down her pitcher upon her hand,_

_and gave him drink._

_And when she had done giving him drink, _

_she said, I will draw water for thy camels also,_

_until they have done drinking.'"_

"Huh?"

He bowed his head respectfully.

"My apologies, I didn't mean to say that aloud. I was only noting the appropriateness of the name itself." He explained.

Rebecca knitted her eyebrows with confusion.

'_My name?'_ She wondered.

What was he trying to imply? Pondering over it for a moment, revelation dawned on the girl.

"Oh. Oh! I think I see where you're coming from." Rebecca said as she recalled his academic background. Obviously, being a Classics major, he noted some similarities to a character within mythology or history that he was familiar with.

A reasonable explanation, but one that spoke "opportunity"to her cheeky side. A small, mischievous, cat-like grin crept up her features.

"For a moment there, I thought that was some Arkham pick-up line." She added.

His eyes widened slightly at the implication. His mouth opened in protest, but closed. An admirable attempt was made to revert back to his stoicism, but his face was now reddening furiously. Even his long pointed ears were full of colour.

Rebecca giggled as Star tried to hide his face by tilting his head down toward his left shoulder, as if hoping to withdraw himself like a turtle.

"I'm teasing! I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I was just trying to lighten the mood." She explained, causing the albino to look up. She then added with a smile, "Laughter is the ultimate form of medicine, after all."

His head tilted with a slight nod.

"There is truth in that."

"Would you like some help putting on your coat?" She asked.

"My arm's current capacity is acceptable." He answered.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Your arm's 'current capacity?' What are you, a robot?" She asked cheekily.

He bowed slightly.

"Your generosity is much appreciated, but I do not wish to impose upon you more than I have already. I have been enough of a burden to you," He said softly.

She looked at him quizzically.

"You haven't. Really, it's no problem." The medic said.

The two teens remained in an awkward moment of silence before the medic broke the ice.

"Well, I'll be off, then. If you feel any sort of discomfort with your injury or have any concerns, you are more than welcome to talk with me at any time."

The albino nodded. As the medic walked away to check on Coen and Richard, she heard him utter quietly,

"Thank you...Rebecca."

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini calmly sat still as his mind worked away like the gears in a clock, trying to formulate a plan of action. The obvious one to take in the interest of his men was to find a way to shut the train down; letting this vehicle run in weather like this was a disaster waiting to happen. Though they weren't having any problems with the vehicle itself, that could all drastically change. Any number of things could happen during a storm in the mountains, from rock slides and floods to falling trees and whatnot.<p>

_'I hope she keeps steady.'_ He thought as he eyed the tracks.

He hoped especially that there weren't any human errors that could cause the vehicle to suddenly slide off or disappear over the edge of a cliff.

_'Speaking of which, where the hell are we headed? Who the hell is driving the train?'_ he wondered.

Could there be survivors hidden away somewhere?

For a while, Marini became reluctant to think that anyone had survived, but the fact that the train was moving suggested that someone must be around, and he was eager to find out who. Worse case scenario, the person who activated the train was just another infected. The other reason for going to the engine room was to see there was some method of communication available. If there's a radio intact, then they'll be able to call in Alpha.

Hearing a giggle, Marini looked up to see Rebecca talking with the albino. The corners of his mouth crinkled up slightly. The girl was full of surprises. Watching the exchange between the teens, he rubbed absently at his sore jaw as a thought struck, just right when Rebecca started walking over toward Aiken and Coen. The convict had just finished cleaning himself and was putting his shirt back on when he spotted her, raising a smirk on his face.

"Well, look who's back for more." Marini heard him say aloud. "Come back when you're older."

A furious blush appeared on her face, but it died down quickly as Aiken gave the convict a scowling look.

"I just came to ask if either of you were hurt and needed to be treated." She replied.

Aiken raised his hand.

"I'm fine, thanks." He said.

The convict didn't even reply. The medic looked at him expectantly.

"What about you?" She asked.

He sat down into an unoccupied chair and leaned his head back.

"I'm a big boy, I can manage myself."

Taking that response as his cue, Marini looked over at Sullivan.

"I'm just going to get Forest, okay?"

Sullivan nodded patiently as the Bravo Captain stood up and stretched before approaching the weapons specialist.

"How are you feeling?"

"So far everything is in order." Was the response.

Marini eyed Speyer with concern. The man that stood before him was a stark contrast to the Forest Speyer that he knew. Before coming onboard this damned train, the Texan was one of those happy-go-lucky people who would just float through life without even a blotch of stress, full of piss and vinegar. Granted, it had irritated Marini to no end early on due to the fact that it made himself feel significantly older, but the sight that greeted the Bravo Captain filled him with horror. The Forest that was conversing with him looked like he had aged considerably. One would have thought that the man was in his fifties or sixties despite him still being in his early twenties. His eyes, once filled with vibrancy, were now fixed in a dead and glassy stare. Marini had seen this kind of reaction before, back when he was still in the Marines. It was usually caused by an intense trauma that left many men, women and children psychologically broken. Troops would call it the thousand-yard stare. Seeing it on the face of Forest unnerved the Bravo Captain greatly. Marini now wished that he hadn't complained to himself about his own aging, for standing right in front of him was a monstrous inversion of his own desires.

"Are you okay, Forest?" He asked with concern.

Glazed eyes stared past the Bravo Captain as he answered.

"I'm fine."

Words couldn't begin to describe the sorrow that Marini felt for his subordinate.

'_The poor kid is going to need help once we get out of here.'_ He thought to himself.

"I just need to see Rebecca about something. Can you look after Kenneth?"

The weapons specialist answered with a nod. As Forest made his way over to the side of his injured companion, Marini lumbered his way over to the medic's position, hearing bits of her conversation with Aiken and the prisoner Coen.

"So, what's the story with your boyfriend?" The convict asked nonchalantly.

Both Rebecca and Marini hesitated. Whom was he referring to?

The answer came when Coen gestured to the albino, who was currently putting his coat back on.

"Him. The big guy."

The medic frowned.

"He's not my boyfriend. He was just some passenger that got himself in the middle of..._this!_" She said as she gestured to the gaping crater in the wall. In the dim moonlight, rain spat through the torn, jagged, and teeth-like lines that marked that demon bitch's entrance and exit. Marini felt uncomfortable looking at it. It reminded him of some gaping jaw reaching out hungrily.

"From the handcuffs, I'm guessing that you found him after the fact." Coen said.

Rebecca looked down with a guilty expression.

"Considering your criminal record, Coen, you are in no position to gloat." The Bravo Captain growled.

The trio looked at the speaker in surprise.

"I wasn't gloating. Just deducing." The convict explained. "It was either that or there was some serious hanky-panky going on." His comment earned a glare from the medic.

Ignoring him, Marini turned to her.

"What do you make of him, Rebecca?" He asked, gesturing to the albino as he buckled up his coat.

She shook her head.

"Honestly, I don't know. He's spooked, but I don't think he's dangerous to us." The medic replied.

Marini turned to face Aiken.

"What about you, Richard? Any thoughts?"

The communications specialist was quiet for a moment as he organized his thoughts.

Sighing, he looked back at his CO.

"I don't really know either," Aiken admitted. "In my opinion, though, I think we should keep our distance from him."

The Bravo Captain quirked an eyebrow.

"The reason why we should?"

Aiken scratched the back of his head before glancing over at the albino.

"I don't feel comfortable being around him."

"And Coen's company is?" Marini noted in a sarcastic tone, earning a side-glance from the convict. "No offense." The convict rolled his eyes.

The communications specialist scowled.

"No," He answered in a dark and controlled tone, "I just don't like being around that kid. He scares the hell out of me. This might sound cold for me to say, and I'm not saying that we should, but a small part of me thinks it would be better to leave him behind."

Marini was surprised by what he heard. As a S.T.A.R.S. officer, Aiken had stood his ground against some of the most violent and ruthless sons of bitches to ever walk the streets of Raccoon City. Even when they were being fired upon during attempted bank heists, there was hardly ever a time that Marini could recall where the Bravo expressed fear, let alone the willingness to abandon anyone, comrade or foe. The encounter with leech-infested ghouls, he reflected, must have acted as a trigger.

Surprising the Bravo Captain further was Rebecca's response.

"How can you even say such a thing?!" She demanded.

"I didn't say that we should!"

"And yet that doesn't stop you from suggesting it!" Coen butted in with an edge to his voice.

"What's the reason?" Marini repeated.

Aiken's shoulders lowered dejectedly.

"He just has this - vibe!"

"Oh yeah, that's a sound reason!" The convict said sarcastically. "What are these 'vibes' telling you?"

"I don't know! I don't know how to describe it! I just keep getting the feeling that something is _wrong_ with him!"

Marini detected what sounded like a conspiratorial note in his tone.

"How so?" He pressed.

The communications specialist exhaled, giving them all a long and considerate look before he spoke.

"Isn't it odd that out of all this - the leeches, the creatures and everything else - that he alone had survived the initial attack on the train?"

The Bravos and convict fell silent upon hearing the query, each of them falling into states of contemplation. As seconds counted off, a hideous and malignant implication started to gradually dawn on them.

Rebecca gave Aiken a look of disbelief.

"You actually think he is -"

"I do."

The medic shook her head.

"No."

"There's no point in denying it." said Aiken.

Coen scoffed.

"Bullshit." He replied.

"Look at him!"

"His appearance is suggestive of a genetic disorder. It does _not_ suggest that he is a monster, nor does it suggest that he has any connection with these creatures." Rebecca said in a restrained tone. Marini was surprised to hear anger in her voice.

"How do you account for the lack of facial expression?" Aiken persisted.

Coen blinked at him.

"What is it that you want him to do, walk about with a goofy grin on his face?" He asked.

"He had just cut through whole mobs of those creatures, all of whom were probably decent, normal people before this, without even flinching, let alone blinking."

"Who is to say that he's not in shock? He just survived one of the most horrific experiences that neither of us could possibly imagine. How do you know what he is or isn't thinking?" Coen argued.

"I don't even know if it's even possible for him to be expressive, facially that is." The medic added. Marini and the others glanced at her in surprise.

"How do you mean?" The convict asked curiously.

She glanced at the albino as he raised his hood.

"It's possible that the nerves were damaged when his face was cut. Even if he had _wanted_ to, I don't know if he'll be able to smile or express himself."

"That still doesn't answer the other question." Aiken pointed out. "Even you have to admit that there's cause for suspicion."

To a certain extent, Marini agreed with him. It was hard to deny the strangeness of the situation. If what the albino said was the truth, that this whole train was swamped with leeches, then the odds of him surviving, let alone coming out from that assault _unscathed_, would have been astronomical.

Coen and Rebecca were about to open their mouths to retort when the Bravo Captain stepped forward, quelling any further arguments.

"We can discuss this later when we're off the train." He said as he turned to face the latter. "Have you finished examining everyone, Rebecca?"

She nodded

"I believe so."

"Good. Break time is over. Aiken, take Coen and inform our 'mutant' friend over there that we'll be leaving soon. Scavenge for anything that could prove useful." Marini said, gesturing to Star.

Sighing, the Bravo reluctantly nodded. As he and the convict departed, Marini turned toward the medic.

"I need to talk to you in private."

He watched as the girl hesitated before nodding in compliance. Together, they walked over to the doors, roughly fifteen feet from Forest's position. Upon arrival, the Bravo Captain turned to face her, removing from one of his pant pockets a journal.

"Take a look at this." He said in a quiet yet urgent tone.

The medic looked at him with a mixture of confusion and curiosity before taking it. As she read through, her features paled. Once she finished, Rebecca looked up at him.

"Where did you get this?"

"Found it in a passenger's cabin." He said lowly. "Given your background in Biomedical Science, do you have any idea what this 't-virus' is?"

She shook her head.

"I have absolutely no idea." Rebecca answered.

Marini frowned. Damn.

"This was why you were asking earlier about there being labs up here?"

"Yeah. Do you think this has anything to do with the creatures onboard?" He asked.

This time it was the medic's turn to frown.

"It's hard to say. From what little evidence we have, it would seem so, but that doesn't really account for the psychopath with the chainsaw."

"Any reason why it shouldn't?"

"Well, it has to do with what Forest said."

Marini looked over at him upon hearing his name. The cold dead eyes searched eagerly around the train compartment.

"What happened to him?" He asked.

The Bravo Captain listened with puzzlement and intrigue as the girl recounted the weapons specialist's story of strange pink lightning, of how the creature just suddenly appeared before him, killing Kev and breaking Dewey's ribs by tossing him through one of the train windows.

"You're certain this is what he told you?"

The young girl nodded.

"That's exactly how he told it." She replied.

He grabbed the bridge of his nose, sighing in exasperation.

"Are you okay, Captain?"

He pulled his hand away, exhaling.

"I'm fine. Just trying to come to terms with this...whatever it is. Not every day that someone wakes up to find themselves in an episode of 'The Twilight Zone.'" Marini replied, feeling weary of what was happening onboard.

Rebecca gave a slight smile.

"At least we haven't encountered mutant crabs." The medic said.

Despite her light-hearted attempt at humor, Marini's face remained sullen and expressionless.

"...Yeah." He said flatly.

Her smile faltered.

"I take it that you have?" She asked.

"A scorpion, actually. Twelve feet."

The rookie's eyes bugged out of her head at the mention of its size.

"Oh wow." She muttered.

Marini studied her.

"That actually raises a couple of concerns that I've been having. Should we let the others in on this? " He asked.

"Why shouldn't we? They have a right to know, especially if this..._disease_, could turn them into monsters."

"True, but I'm worried about Forest. Look at him." Marini said quietly.

"All the more reason." Came the reply.

He smiled, impressed with the rookie. The girl had a good head on her shoulders.

"You're right." Marini said, nodding his head in approval.

Rebecca glanced over to her comrades.

"Shall we tell them now?" She asked.

"There's one more thing, Rebecca," he said, causing the girl to look up at him. "I couldn't help noticing earlier you talking to the Wolf youth over there."

She hesitated. Marini watched as the medic started to pale with worry.

"His arm was cut by that creature. Am I in trouble? I was only making conversation so he wouldn't focus on the blood-"

"Whoa, take it easy. You're fine," he said with his arms raised in a placating manner. Glancing over at the massive albino, he continued, "I was just surprised by your willingness to stand up for him."

"Someone has to, especially with the crazy things that Richard is spouting." Rebecca said defensively.

He waved it off.

"Don't mind what he was saying, he's just on edge like the rest of us. We had to deal with some...nasty little surprises ourselves in the rear cars. As someone who has worked with him for three years, I can assure you that he would never abandon anyone. Ever." His words seemed to have had the effect of calming the girl as she gave a half nod of understanding. He continued, "With that said, though, he does have a point about Wolf's story."

The two were silent for a moment as they both looked over the albino. Rebecca was the first to speak.

"Do you think that he has something to do with this? That he's one of them?"

Marini shrugged.

"I don't know," he answered honestly, "part of me thinks he's a friendly, but another part of me is getting the feeling that he's hiding something from us. I want you to be careful around him, Rebecca."

"I appreciate the concern, Captain, but I can handle myself, sir." She said politely.

"I noticed, but what you will be doing has the potential to be dangerous." He replied.

The medic turned back to face him, looking at him questioningly. Marini began to elaborate. "You've developed something of a rapport with him, and it's because of that he appears to be more comfortable around you. I want you to continue getting on his good side and find out what he knows."

Marini watched the girl pause as she digested her orders. She seemed nervous and troubled.

"I realize how awkward the offer is. I know that you're questioning the morality of it. The only reason why I brought it up is because I want you and the others to be prepared in advance. If you don't want to do it, I'll completely understand." he said with assurance.

Rebecca lowered her head in contemplation. Marini was almost certain that she would refuse. It was risky. As the medic looked back up, he was surprised to hear her answer.

"I'll do it." She replied.

"Are you sure?"

Rebecca gave a nod.

"I am. I may be inexperienced, but part of my job is helping people. If getting close to him will save lives, I'll do it." She said with resolution.

Marini nodded back, impressed with her sense of initiative and occupational integrity.

"Alright, just be careful where you step."

He turned to the group.

"Okay everyone, I need you here on the double! It's very important that all of you listen to what I have to say!" The Bravo Captain said in a loud and commanding tone.

The group stopped what they were doing and trampled over. Forest and Sullivan remained seated, watching him intently as he cleared his throat. After everyone had settled, he spoke.

"All of us have seen, and were attacked by, monsters. I think we can all agree?" he asked. Everyone looked questioningly at each other before turning back to face him, their expressions full of confusion. Receiving a few slow nods, he continued.

"Just checking to make sure that we're all on the same page. Some of us have seen phenomena that we couldn't even begin to explain. Officer Chambers was kind enough to recount details of what had occurred during my absence with Officers Aiken and Sullivan. Having uncovered information myself while in the rear cars, I feel that it is my duty to make sure all of you are aware of how dangerous the situation is. Now, what I am about to tell you should not be treated lightly."

Everyone listened as he proceeded to inform them of both the strange lightning as well as the contents of the journal. Responses varied. At first, some of them seemed to have thought that it was some sort of joke and waited for the punch-line, only to find none. The expressions of others were of horror and revulsion.

"We don't have any information with regards to who or what is involved, nor do we know if there's any connection to be made between the two. We don't even know how the disease carries itself. Due to the obscure nature of this situation, we need to lay down a few ground rules as to how to proceed from here," the Bravo Captain explained. He looked over at the medic. "Do you have any suggestions, Rebecca?"

The small girl shifted nervously as attention was directed to her.

She began, "Well, from what we know and have seen so far, the disease seems to transmit itself through blood like rabies, as was evidenced by Star's account with the leeches. Bites, scratches, or having an open wound left unattended could facilitate infection."

Prisoners and police officers alike looked nervously at one another.

"I just got blood sprayed onto my shirt by that thing!" Aiken muttered.

"Same here." The convict added.

Panic began to rise until the medic raised her hands in a placating gesture.

"As long as you haven't gotten it into your eyes or mouth, you should be fine." Rebecca assured, "Now, with that said, there's something else that has me a little worried. Again, we don't know if that psychopath was 't-virus'-enhanced or not. For now, though we should assume that any and all creatures encountered from here on are."

"How do we handle them?" Coen asked, his tone dark and grim.

"In the event that we encounter more, I recommend keeping them at a distance. The less chance of physical contact, the better our chances of getting out alive. Also, most importantly, if any of you have open injuries on your person, be sure to let me see and treat them as soon as possible."

Upon finishing, Rebecca looked over at her CO.

"I think that's all for now, Captain."

He nodded.

"Thank you, Rebecca." Marini said before turning back to the others. "Now that the issue has been addressed, another concern that I'm having is ammunition. What do we have so far?"

"Nothing for the Magnum." said Coen.

"Fuck all here." Aiken added.

"Three rounds." Came Forest's response. Marini stared at him, a little unnerved. He wasn't going to demand him to fork over whatever scant amount of ammo he had. Chances were that the weapon would have to be pried from his hands. Besides, he needed it.

"My chamber's empty as well," the Bravo Captain said darkly. "Rebecca?"

The medic checked her clip, paling. "I'm out."

After she spoke, the albino took a step forward, looming over him. Marini craned his neck upward as he took in the youth's appearance complete with the hood and raised collar. He had spared glances at him several passenger decks ago, but he had never really given it much thought at the time. Being chased by psychotics with chainsaws can make a person lose sight of details. However, that was then. Seeing the youth in the present made Marini feel a certain level of discomfort. He was viscerally, and disturbingly, reminded of a king cobra. With that thought in mind, he started to ponder whether it was even a good idea to have the medic anywhere near the youth.

Marini watched with surprise as the albino extracted a handgun out from his coat and offered it to him.

"I believe I have seven rounds in the chamber still. You can have it." He replied.

The Bravo Captain warily took the weapon before he analyzed it. A Samurai Edge Beretta, he identified it as a property of Dewey's based on the customization made into its design. The barrel was modified to give the handgun a bit more of a punch. Marini felt himself darken at the fact that he had lost a man. He clutched the handgun.

'_Semper fi, Edward.' _He prayed respectfully. Looking back up at the albino, Marini gave him a nod of appreciation.

"Thank you, but I think Rebecca deserves this one," he said as he handed the clip to her. "We owe it to her."

The girl hesitated.

"Are you sure? I haven't really done anything."

Marini gave a slight tilt of affirmation. He then watched as she emptied the clip and counted up. Rebecca took three rounds for herself, and placed the rest back in.

"Thanks." She smiled as she handed back the weapon.

The albino nodded in reply, withdrawing the handgun back into his coat.

The Bravo Captain turned to face everyone.

"Alright, sweethearts, up and at 'em! Forest, pick up Sullivan, break time's over! Time to leave," he ordered.

With a series of groans and a grudging reluctance, the group followed Marini's lead as they headed toward the engine room. As they monotonously marched through the car, Marini wondered to himself if his efforts were leading these people to deliverance, or merely leading them down the path to perdition.


	10. Chapter Nine: Unpleasant Discoveries

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Nine: Unpleasant Discoveries**

Walls shook and trembled violently around the group as they moved forward. Rebecca eyed every surface within touching distance anxiously, her palms sweating within her gloves. Despite her own attempts to calm the others earlier, she had none of the confidence in what she had been saying. Viruses were insidious and volatile organisms that could be transmitted through any number of ways. Blood, sweat, coughs, feces and other excreta were common sources for contracting infection. Hell, the very oils within an infected person's hands and fingers would be enough. The fact that this "t-virus" was zoonotic suggested something incredibly lethal.

Rebecca blanched as a word slithered its way into her mind, one that held diabolical implications; _Plague_.

It took tremendous effort to keep a shudder from making itself visible on her person. She recalled lectures from her old biology classes, particularly those that had discussed the Bubonic Plague. Known infamously as the Black Death, it had wiped out a third of Europe in 1347, the result of poor hygiene. Rats and fleas were said to have been carriers for the disease.

Rebecca felt her heart stop and jaw hurt as one of the words repeated itself. It lingered unpleasantly like an echo in a cave, ringing with a blaring loudness for the silent girl.

_Carriers._

Her mind furiously worked on overdrive as she looked at everyone in her group.

_Were they all infected? _

She had no way of knowing what symptoms to look for. She doesn't even know what kind of treatment should be given in the event that one of them turned out to have contracted something.

_Was there even any form of treatment in existence?_

Surely the creators of this disease had enough sense to keep an antidote! They wouldn't just let an outbreak run rampant!

Frustrated and terrified, bleaker thoughts bombarded her.

_Was she herself infected?_

Part of her wanted to weep.

Rebecca was horrified of not knowing. Even if she doesn't turn into a ghoul, there still existed the possibility of her being an asymptomatic carrier.

She swallowed, her nerves shot.

The idea of her being an unknowing vector for this pestilence, of bringing it back and allowing it to flourish, made her skin crawl.

What would the point be of going back home if she was either going to become a monster herself or watch with horrified eyes as others do so before her? As much as she loved her mother, she couldn't bear the thought of turning her into a cannibal.

_Was death their only option?_

Rebecca tried furiously to rebel against the thought. As much as she hated the idea of being infected, she was at heart a coward. She wasn't a trained soldier or action hero, she was just a gawky teenager with an interest in medicine, a geek. She highly doubted that she would be able to muster up the courage to kill herself. Despite the circumstances that she and her mother were in, Rebecca had a great love for life. There were so many things that people just took for granted, and for Rebecca, the possibility of never being able to see her mother again frightened her. At the same time, however, it would be incredibly selfish of her to deny others their right to live.

_Was there enough time for her to do the things that needed to be done?_

The worst, and most insidious, aspect of this "t-virus" was that she had no way of knowing how long its incubation period was. For some viruses, it could take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, depending on the environment that they're dwelling in. In some cases, it could take years for a virus to enter its latency stage, making the host in essence a walking time bomb.

Her unfocused gaze landed on Star's erect and solemn form as the thought crossed her mind.

"_Isn't it odd that out of all this - the leeches, the creatures and everything else - that he alone had survived the initial attack on the train?" _

Richard's words reverberated as she studied the albino.

_Could he be the cause of this nightmare? Was he another Typhoid Mary?_

Ever since she found him, Rebecca was thrown headlong into a dizzying and downward spiral.

"_How do you account for the lack of facial expression?"_

"_He had just cut through whole mobs of those creatures, all of whom were probably decent, normal people before this, without even flinching, let alone blinking."_

Richard's points bombarded her mind with reckless abandon as they descended into a near incoherent storm of babble and condemnation, fueling her with a feeling of bitter burning fury.

How could he be so cool when people die all around him?!

She wanted to grab the albino by his coat, slam her fists into his frame as hard as she could and shout - no, _scream_ profanities at the top of her lungs just to express the rage and resentment that she was beginning to feel for him!

She wanted to curse him for bringing her and her team into this mess!

_But it wasn't him that brought you and the others onboard_.

Rebecca hesitated. She tried to come up with a retort against her rational side, but failed. Her stomach tightened as feelings of guilt and shame washed over her.

No, it wasn't. _She_ had been the first one to have stepped onboard. _She_ had been the one that had led her team like lambs to a slaughter. In her mind, Rebecca was every bit as guilty as Star.

_Was he even guilty of a crime?_

All of her assumptions were based on the premise that he himself was infected.

_Was he?_

It was hard to say. If he was an asymptomatic carrier, there was nothing to indicate that he knew about the harm he would inflict on others, nor was there anything to indicate the presence of _mens rea_.

_And what if he wasn't?_

All of the built-up anger within Rebecca started to fade as she considered the possibilities.

WHAM!

Reality called back to her as she bumped straight into something hard. Glancing up, she became aware that not only had everyone stopped, practically and uncomfortably caging her in, but also that she had accidently rammed into Forest and Kenneth. Her cheeks burned as eyes glanced down at her.

"Watch it!" Forest snapped.

Shrinking back, she flinched nervously.

"Sorry, just lost my balance." Rebecca tried to explain.

Her co-worker gave her a heated glare before turning away, as if furious that he was wasting time laying eyes on her.

"Goddamn FNG." Came the mutter, the unfamiliar term causing her to blink with confusion.

"Quiet!" Captain Marini said in a cold tone, his arm raised in a gesture signaling for them to stop.

Rebecca watched as her CO flattened himself against the wall to his left and peer around the corner. Turning back to everyone, he nodded for them to follow. Feet trampled forward until the group found themselves in a tightly enclosed space as they turned to their left. Greeting them was a door with a small black box on its right, which protruded slightly from the wall. A red light glared from the box's center, coloring the room and its occupants, including the body that was leaning against the bottom frame.

Rebecca watched as Marini nervously approached the cadaver and gave it a slight tap, pulling back as it fell over onto its side. Finding no response, his attention shifted to the black box on the wall.

"Aiken, I'll need you to take a look."

The communications specialist obediently stepped forward.

"Looks like an electronic card reader, Captain." She overheard Aiken say aloud.

"Any way you could bypass?" Marini asked.

He shook his head.

"Not without a key."

"Does this mean we have to go back?" Rebecca asked.

Forest gave her a contemptuous look.

"No duh! What are you a regular Einstein?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth that Rebecca felt all of the heat in her body shift into her face.

"Can it, Speyer," Marini said with a glare, "we're not going back just yet. Richard, help me get the door open."

Fingers frantically searched for something grab hold of. Finding nothing, the two men grunted as they tried ramming into the door with their shoulders. As they repeated the process, Rebecca found herself studying the body. Huddled on the floor with his arms tightly hugging himself was a bald man in his late fifties, perhaps early sixties. Based on his attire, he appeared to be another member of the fallen train staff. What made him particularly distinguishable were the large protruding ears that gave his head an oddly teapot-like shape.

The red light flickered with each attempt to knock down the door. As she stared at the body, Rebecca became aware of something odd. She couldn't put a finger on what it was, but her intuition was telling her that the body needed proper inspection. Shifting herself over to the side, Rebecca found herself focused on the torso's positioning. When she tried to move closer, the medic lost her footing and slipped, causing her to fall right beside the cadaver.

Eyes bulged out of their sockets at her with a long and glassy stare.

Shooting back up to her feet, Rebecca's legs hobbled around the corner, away from her team mates. Before she could proceed any further, her jaw started to automatically and painfully stretch as she vomited onto the floor.

"Jesus." She heard Forest say with disgust.

Tears stung her eyes as another burning stream poured out from her lips.

"Are you okay, Rebecca?" Marini asked.

Upon finishing, she gave a slight gasp for breath. Spitting the disgusting taste onto the floor, Rebecca became aware that she had dirtied her uniform. Wiping her mouth with the back of her gloved hand and leaning forward, she rested her forehead against the cool surface of the wall, humiliated and ashamed of what she had done. Rebecca wanted to just die in front of them.

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini stared with pity at the rookie.<p>

"I'm sorry!" She whimpered, not even bothering to turn around.

"Don't worry about it. Not the first time a rookie lost their lunch at the sight of a body, especially up close." he assured. "Just so you know, you lasted a lot longer than some of the others before you."

Rebecca kept looking toward the wall, panting for breath.

"Did you get the door open, Captain?" She asked.

He shook his head.

"No, we're gonna need to find the damn key card to do so. Just stay here with Forest and Kenneth, take it easy."

Marini gave a slight pat on the shoulder. Turning back to the rear entrance, he had just barely moved a foot when he heard Rebecca say something.

"What was that?" He asked.

"The body." She managed to muster up. "Check the body."

Marini looked at her questioningly before turning his attention to the deceased train attendant. Moving toward him, he huddled down and flipped the body delicately onto its back.

Black eyebrows furrowed as Marini studied its posture.

The attendant was holding something.

As his hands felt their way around, trying to find a way to either slip through or unfold its arms, Marini found himself vaguely reminded of old pirate stories that used to be told to him as a kid, how pirates would bury their booty with fallen cohorts, believing that they would be guarded by their damned spirits.

'_Whatever this "booty" is, it better be something to get the door open.'_ Marini thought to himself. As his fingers pried into the dead man's grasp, he stopped as they made contact with something hard. Feeling along its frame, the object's dimensions suggested that it was either a package or possibly a suitcase of some kind.

"Richard, Coen, I need your help." He grunted.

The two shared a look before reluctantly moving forward. Falling to opposite sides of the cadaver, both police officer and convict let out grunts of effort as they tried prying the object out. After a two minutes, the dead man released its prize, causing Coen to fall over onto his back.

"I got it!" He exclaimed, raising up a brown suitcase.

Marini sighed.

"Finally!" Aiken said with relief.

"I wouldn't get our hopes up just yet. We still have a problem."

"What?"

"We need a key for this."

"Damn it!"

Marini took the suitcase from Coen in one hand and used the other to haul him up to his feet, hoping that the convict had a damn good sense of humor. Turning his attention to the lock, Marini squinted at the newly-discovered nuisance. Black brows furrowed questioningly as he studied it in the dim light.

"What the hell?"

Indeed, it was a lock, but one that he had never seen before. Rather than a traditional keyhole, however, there was only a circular indentation that suggested something more unusual, like a-

Marini raised his chin up as the thought occurred to him. Reaching into his pockets, he extracted the rings that he had discovered earlier, holding them up side by side. Noticing how much smaller the other one was, could it - YES, they did fit!

Marini placed the combined rings into the clasp and heard an audible click as the suitcase unlocked itself. Prying the case open, he reached inside and felt around eagerly until his hand made contact. Grabbing hold of the object, Marini pulled back from the suitcase with a silver keycard between his fingers.

'_Please let this be the key, lord.'_ He thought to himself.

Turning his attention toward the black box, he slipped the key card through a slot along the side. The box emitted an electronic chirp of acceptance as the red light filtered into a bright green and the locks were released with an audible clack.

"Okay! Looks like Lady Luck's on our side!" Marini said aloud. "Everyone, form up."

Everyone save for Rebecca and the albino moved toward the door. The former was busy trying to remove the stains from her vest and shirt by wiping it with her gloved hands. In a courteous gesture, the latter held out his hand in offering.

"Here, take this." He said politely.

Marini watched as Rebecca took what looked to be a handkerchief.

"Thank you." She said as she wiped herself off.

Nodding, he turned to leave, and had barely moved six feet ahead when there came a sharp yell.

"CAPTAIN!"

Marini felt his heart leap as Aiken shouted for him. His feet guided him out the door, followed by Rebecca and the albino, where they were greeted by the bitter cold wind and pelted by rain. Peering through the unrelenting spittle, Marini was able to make out the forms of the others right in front of the engine room, crowding around something. Aiken waved over to him.

"Captain, you've got to see this!" He called out.

Stepping over to where the group was standing, Marini saw what caught their interests. Two bodies were lying on the floor, but what made them stand out from the others was the combat gear that they wore as well as the weapons that they were packing. Decked from head to foot in black, the figures wore thick kevlar and ammo vests, their heads concealed beneath helmets and gas masks.

"Who the hell are these guys?" He asked.

Aiken shook his head.

"I don't know, just found them." He replied.

Marini grabbed a weapon, a submachine gun, off from one of the cadavers and studied it. Based on the design, it was an H&K MP.5 model, a weapon favored by a lot of Special Forces units. Attached to the barrel, however, was a silencer.

"Whoever these guys are, they really aren't the kind to fuck with." Marini said as he checked the ammo clip.

Satisfied, he slid it back into place and slung the weapon around his shoulder. Bending down to his knee, Marini began checking for identification. Finding a label on the shoulder, he blinked at the insignia.

"'Umbrella?'"

"Umbrella? Are you serious?" Rebecca asked with surprise.

"What is 'Umbrella?'" The albino questioned.

"It's a small pharmaceutical company specializing in advanced medicine." She explained, "But...why would they-"

"Because they're the ones who created this 't-virus.'" Marini answered.

Rebecca stared at him as if he was insane.

"That's crazy! We're talking about a pharmaceutical company, for God's sake, people who-"

"What I know, Officer Chambers," Marini interrupted, his tone cold, "is that these men are carrying thousands of dollars worth of equipment and are armed to the teeth."

He collected the extra clips off of the cadavers and picked up the extra submachine gun, tossing it to Aiken.

"But...why? Why would they create this thing?" Rebecca asked.

Marini looked at her as he straightened himself. From the way she was looking at him, it was apparent that she found the whole idea to be unfathomable. Whether it suggested innocent naivety or something else, Marini couldn't really say.

Sighing, he shook his head.

"Don't ask, Rebecca. You won't like the answer." Came the reply. "C'mon."

Marini guided the others toward the engine room. Glancing back, he caught sight of the albino staring at the bodies in contemplation before turning away. Pulling the door open, Marini felt relieved as he entered. The feeling passed as he surveyed the interior. Two more commandoes were found, albeit in pieces, their equipment and weaponry scattered across the floor mixed with their remains, the signs of an ill-fated struggle. Looking toward the train console and the chair next to it, Marini noticed a section of the console open, exposing the inner wiring. Just above it, a phone, probably used for communications with the rear cars, hung loose. What really worried him was the state of the radio: it was in complete disarray.

"No..." Aiken murmured.

Rushing toward the console, he grabbed the remnants of the train radio receiver and looked around frantically. Giving up, Aiken clutched the radio tightly in his hand. Angrily throwing it away, he gave the console a hard kick in frustration.

"All this way for nothing." He said in a bitter tone.

"Couldn't you just contact your base with your own radios?" the albino queried.

Aiken shook his head.

"No, the ones we use are only short wave. You see the radio's signal can only be broadcasted at a length of a hundred meters or less." He explained.

"And thanks to Irons 'ironing' out the budget, emphasis should be placed on less." Forest said in a snarky tone.

"And you're sure there's no way to fix it?" Marini asked.

Aiken sighed.

"Yes." He said in exasperation.

Marini gave him a glare of warning.

"Communication is the least of our problems." Coen said with an edge to his voice. "What I'm worried about is _how do we stop this thing?"_

Marini turned to Forest and gave him a nod. Setting Sullivan down into the chair, Forest looked at the loose wires and at the monitor, his color fading quickly. A pile of text was running downward across the screen.

"Those bastards have set the train on full speed! If we don't stop this now, we'll either be derailed or crash!" He said. "Help me find a manual for this tub!"

Scouring frantically among scattered pieces of papers, books, and booklets around the desk and on the floor, the group moved as if the Devil was in the room with them.

"I got it!" Coen cried out.

Marini watched as Forest hastily snatched the booklet away with the speed of a rattlesnake. Hands trembled as they threw open the booklet, flipping through until stopping on a page.

"Here it is! 'Brake Operation Manual - Using the Brake control.'" He read aloud.

"What does it say?" Rebecca asked excitedly.

"I'm getting there!" Forest snapped before continuing, "'The following three steps are necessary to operate the brakes. Step One: Activate the controls. Brake controls are located in the following locations: First Car Driver's Compartment and the Rear deck. To activate the system, you must insert the magnetic card -"

"Wait a minute, magnetic card? We don't have one. Where -" Coen interrupted before being cut off by Marini.

"I'm guessing it's referring to this." He replied, raising up the silver key card.

"Do you mind?!" Forest said impatiently. "'You must insert the magnetic card into the device in the eighth car. This will supply power to both sets of controls. Step Two: Enter Rear Deck Code. Enter the code for the rear deck unit to release the lock. After this, the Driver's Compartment Code can be inputted. Step Three: Enter Driver's Compartment Code. Enter the code for the Driver's Compartment unit to remove lock. Upon completion of these three steps the manual brakes will be available for use.'"

Marini absorbed what was said and began to formulate a plan. "Okay, we'll need to split into two groups, one to stay here and secure this location, while the other to go and find those brake controls."

To his surprise, the albino stepped forward.

"I'll go." He said.

"Are you sure?"

"I have to go back anyway to get my luggage."

Marini raised an eyebrow.

"Even if said luggage is crawling with leeches?"

The youth hesitated.

"I can't just leave them there, they contain my belongings!"

"What's so important about them?"

Marini watched as he stiffened.

"It's...it's extremely personal." Came the answer.

Shaking his head, Marini waved him off.

"Alright, go ahead, I don't have time to argue. Chambers, Aiken, salvage whatever weapons and ammunition you can from these bodies and accompany him. Coen, you're staying with me."

Minutes ticked by as the Bravos finished gathering supplies. As Aiken helped load the submachine gun for Rebecca, Marini gestured over to her.

"You're gonna need this." He said as he held out the silver key card. "Without it you won't be able to access the system."

As Rebecca grabbed hold of the card by the end, he whispered, "Keep an eye on him."

A brief flicker of hesitation passed over her features before giving a quick nod in affirmation. Taking hold of the key card, Marini watched as she tucked it into her pocket. As the trio exited the room, he silently prayed that this decision wouldn't cost him.


	11. Chapter Ten: Vertigo

**A Star's Descent**

**By evolution_500**

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Ten: Vertigo**

The trail back was long and arduous as the survivors crept along the platform past the torn container toward the fifth car. Moving cautiously over random bits of debris and some charred bodies, the results of Forest's enthusiasm with the grenade launcher, Rebecca looked away with disgust, keeping her attention fixed on Aiken and Star.

"What sort of plan do you have?" The latter queried.

Aiken blinked.

"Hm?"

"In terms of getting to the rear cars?" The albino specified.

Aiken shrugged.

"Just move fast and avoid any trouble." Came the reply.

"But what about the doors that the creature wrecked?" Star pressed.

The Bravos stood still for a moment.

"Damn it, I never considered that." said Aiken as he scratched his chin.

"That room just on the other side had a set of stairs. There must be an alternate route or something." Rebecca reasoned.

"Maybe." her coworker said with a nod before reaching for the door.

"Wait."

The Bravos turned. The towering albino shifted under their stares with discomfort as he stammered.

"In the event...in the event that something should happen to us, or the off-chance that we're too late...I just want to say that-that even though we started off on the wrong footing, it has been a pleasure meeting you and your team." he said in a quiet voice, his tone containing mixtures of fear, sadness, regret and, most noticeably, respect.

Hearing the genuineness of his words, Rebecca began to have doubts over whether or not he was responsible.

"You say that as if we're dead already," Aiken commented. "It's not over yet."

"I know that," Star replied, "it's just that death is indiscriminate. I-I just wanted to show my appreciation in the event that I'm taken."

Placing her hand on his upper arm, Rebecca smiled in assurance.

"We'll make it out of this, all of us." she said resolutely.

The statement resonated among the survivors, but it had a dimly hollow sound that Rebecca herself found no comfort in.

"We should get moving." Aiken said in a brisk tone.

She watched as the albino gave a slight nod in agreement.

"Hm." Came his response, his attention now fixed on the door as it opened.

Stepping through, Rebecca followed her fellow survivors back into the dark.

* * *

><p>Traveling up the stairs, Richard Aiken and the others wove past knocked over tables, chairs, bodies and various sorts of smashed dishware before entering what had appeared to be the kitchen. Moving toward a wooden door on the other side, Aiken had just barely opened it when rotted hands clawed for his face.<p>

"FUCKING CHRIST!" He shouted as he pulled back. The door swung open as a pack of undead, six males and two females, lurched hungrily toward him. Holding down the trigger of the submachine gun, Aiken sprayed a long stream of ammunition into the more sturdier ghouls, watching as they moved toward him, not even giving a second thought to the damage being done to their various organs. Even when some of the creatures walked headfirst into his barrel, they barely acknowledged any sort of pain, nor did the first head shot seem to stop them - it was usually the second or third shot that would put an to their miserable existence.

'_And to think some fucker wants to use these as weapons!'_ He thought.

Turning to look over his shoulder, he watched as Rebecca fiddled with the submachine gun in her hands.

"Fire, damn it!" He cried out.

"I'm trying!" She said. "How do I -"

BATATATATATATATATATATA!

As Rebecca screamed in surprise, Aiken felt something brush past his cheek.

"SHIT!"

Looking over to her, he was ready to give the rookie a heartfelt expletive when he noticed the submachine gun spinning around in the air. As it clattered onto the floor, the weapon discharged in every direction.

BATATATATATATATATA!

Rebecca's screams sporadically punctuated each burst, causing Aiken's ears to hurt as he pulled her down beside him. Rounds ricocheted off walls and pans, shattering dishes and glass. A few of them punctured the floor next to the Bravos, making them wince and eliciting another panicked shriek from the rookie. Fearing the worst, Aiken carefully positioned himself over the girl so that his frame shielded hers. With his elbows pressing to the floor on both sides of her head, his hip raised, slightly straddling hers, he ducked down as chaos ensued.

Bits of debris pelted the upper and mid section of his back, sliding down his shoulders and sides. His body stiffening, Aiken waited uncomfortably.

Had it stopped?

It was impossible to tell due to the little banshee shrieking into his ears. His patience and sanity dwindling, all attempts to keep himself in control were tossed out the window as he lost his cool.

"SHUT UP!" Aiken finally yelled, causing her to flinch. "SHUT UP! SHUT THE FUCK UP! SHUT UP!"

In his tactless effort to quiet Rebecca down, he held her by the shoulders and had his face positioned mere inches over her own.

"Quiet!"

As the girl trembled under his grip, Aiken uncomfortably regretted the action. Breathing out slowly, he cast his eyes down.

"I'm sorry. Just...stop." He said.

Lifting up his head, he cast a glance around. The entire kitchen was a wreck. Bullet holes littered the walls, ceiling, counters, and so on. Whether by miracle or by pure dumb luck, the undead lay unmoving. The only figure left standing was the albino, who was looking around in every direction with wide eyes in a jittery manner, from the walls beside him to his own person. The expression that he wore was one of puzzlement, as if he was questioning how he had managed to survive such a fuck up.

'_There's no way he could have survived that! He must be one of those things!' _came the thought.

"You okay?" Aiken asked.

The albino looked over with eyes like saucers and gave a slow nod, his form tense. Aiken felt a tinge of pity. Monster or not, the poor bastard was literally scared stiff as a result of what happened. His legs were even trembling.

"...Can you get off of me please?" Came the quiet and embarrassed whisper from below, "I'm finding it kind of hard to breathe."

"Oh! Sorry." He replied.

Lifting himself up and helping Rebecca to her feet, Aiken grabbed the submachine gun from the floor. When Rebecca reached out to reclaim her weapon, he shook his head.

"Nuh uh."

"Please, Richard?" She pleaded.

"Rebecca, I like you, but you're not mature enough for this," he replied, turning back to the door. "Come on."

* * *

><p>"Richard!" Rebecca cried out as he stomped off. Her features fell as she watched him disappear behind the door, unable to vocalize her apology.<p>

God, how could she have been so stupid?!

Gesturing to Star to follow her with a wave of her hand, Rebecca moved through the doorway, too ashamed to even look or speak.

* * *

><p>From the kitchen they moved into a dining hall, weaving their way past the dead, walking and unmoving alike. Rebecca wiped her brow of perspiration.<p>

How many rooms were there on this train?

The number of doorways and corridors onboard seemed innumerable to the rookie. It was hard to believe that there would be so many rooms. Rebecca looked over to her coworker. From his expression, he seemed perplexed and troubled.

"Is something wrong?" She asked.

He gave a slight grunt.

"I'm lost."

The admission made Rebecca's heart stop as she heard the words leave his mouth.

"Are you sure?"

Her coworker didn't bother to answer.

Using every ounce of self-control to keep her composure, she inhaled slightly and tried to offer a small smile of encouragement.

"Well, um, I guess we-we should look around for a map," she said, her face straining with discomfort. "There can't be that many rooms, so we're bound to find an exit somewhere. And then-then we'll stop the train, and get help."

Even as she spoke, Rebecca could hear the desperation in her words. She was now clawing for even the smallest scraps of hope to be found in their current predicament. Her compatriots though, either out of respect for her optimism or for fear of raising doubts and testing their luck, merely nodded. Entering through the doorway to their left, the group wordlessly searched for a way out.

* * *

><p>"Richard, we're going the wrong way! It's over here!" said Rebecca, pointing to a door at one end of the room.<p>

"No we haven't." Aiken asserted as he entered through one at the other end, only to find himself staring down one of the hallways that they already came from.

The medic frowned, approaching the other door.

"I told-" she said before stopping, realizing that she was mistaken as she opened up a custodian's closet. "You." she finished.

A frown creasing along the corners of his mouth, her comrade turned toward another door.

"Maybe it's this one."

Minutes counted by as they searched hopelessly. Doors creaked and slammed as they were repeatedly opened and closed, the occupants wandering in and out of rooms as quickly as they could. Through their continuous cycle of opening doors, Rebecca wondered if someone was watching and laughing at them.

The final straw came when she and Aiken approached the last door that they were able to explore. Could it be a way out?

Hands trembled excitedly as they grasped hold of the knob and flung it open. Greeting them mockingly ahead was another door, while running adjacent to their position was a long hallway that seemingly stretched infinitely into the shadows at both ends. What made it even more frustratingly depressing, though, was the certainty that they had already explored this area. Slamming the door hard to his latest failure, Rebecca watched Aiken growl in frustration, brushing his hands through his hair in an exasperated manner.

"What the hell! Where do we go?!" He exclaimed.

"No..." Rebecca said in a quiet voice as she stared at the one door that had been so full of promise.

"No..."

Her heart sank as she began to realize how lost they were.

"No..." she repeated, her voice cracking.

They have gone through dozens of doorways, but no matter which one they took, they always ended up back where they started.

"No..."

All of the fear, stress and exhaustion weighed down on Rebecca, causing her legs to buckle underneath her weight and collapse onto her knees. Holding her sides, she began to weep.

"Rebecca? What's wrong?" Aiken asked with concern.

"We're going to die here!" She sobbed.

"No! No we're not-"

"_We're going to die!_" She wailed.

"Rebecca-"

"_I WANT TO GET OFF THIS FUCKING TRAIN, BUT WE CAN'T!_"

"We'll find a way off, Rebecca. Please, pull yourself together, we need you!" Aiken said firmly, grabbing her shoulders. "Just think about what you're gonna do when you get home. I know you're scared and tired, I know that. Please, just bear with-"

He was interrupted by a loud moan, the sound coming from behind the door that he had slammed mere seconds ago.

"AHHH GOD, CAN'T WE JUST HAVE A FUCKING MOMENT?!" He said aloud.

She was too lost in her own despair to hear his footsteps departing from her, let alone hear the door open. She stared down at the floor, her eyes and cheeks burning hot as she cried. It wasn't until she heard Aiken scream that she looked up and wiped her tears away.

Watching her comrade backpedaling to her position before collapsing onto the floor beside her, Rebecca saw the terror in his features. A series of soft thuds caused her to turn around. As she did, she screamed.

Stumbling toward them in marionette fashion, the thing eyed them hungrily, its mouth stained red with gore. Frantically crawling back along the floor, Rebecca tried to put some distance between it and herself, but it kept limping forward with its arms outstretched.

"Don't come any closer!" She cried out, hoping some part of the man that she knew still remained. It kept moving forward, seemingly uncaring for what was being said.

"Please! Please don't come!" She whimpered.

There came a sharp crack as its chest spurted clouds of red, causing her to scream as the thing shimmied back in some bizarre dance with each shot. Its head perishing in a crimson mist, the body fell indelicately to the floor. Holding her hands over her mouth and trembling like a leaf, Rebecca cried with renewed vigor. Beside her, Aiken stared with incredulity. His face pallid and damp, he glanced down at the submachine gun within his shaking hands before tossing it away, as if repulsed by the weapon.

Neither stirred from their position on the floor, their attention fixed solely on the nightmare in front of them.

* * *

><p>As Richard Aiken stared at his latest kill, there came an uncomfortable numbness as he looked upon its form.<p>

Christ, he was just barely getting used to the idea of dead people coming back to life. He should have expected this to happen, but it was still such a shock to him all the same! When he had opened the door, his brain barely had the time to process what he was seeing. By the time it had, he vocalized it with a startled scream, for standing there was Edward Dewey!

Aiken fidgeted nervously, searching his pant pockets for a pack of cigarettes. Finding nothing, he looked over to the rookie, trying to find words to comfort her.

But how could he?

He wanted to break the silence, but each time he tried to open his mouth, a lump formed in the back of his throat, causing his lips to close for fear of vomiting again. The door behind him creaked loudly, causing the two to twist around to see the albino entering.

"I'm sorry, I came as quickly as I could-" he said before pausing, taking note of their conditions. "What happened?"

Still unable to find his vocals, Aiken gestured to the horror that lay in front of him and his coworker. Glancing at him questioningly, the albino approached their position. Now mere inches from them, Aiken saw his eyes shift toward the thing, a look of startled puzzlement etching itself onto his features.

"What in the world?" He uttered, "How did he get up here?"

"There must have been a staircase or a door that we missed." Aiken said while turning back to Edward.

As the albino stared downward, murmuring a quiet apology to the deceased, Aiken narrowed his eyes with suspicion.

"Where were you?!" He asked in a sharp tone.

Turning to meet his gaze with his own, the albino gestured to the rear doors.

"I had to remain behind to mark the doors that we had already visited." He explained.

The Bravo blinked.

"What do you mean?"

"When Theseus wandered into the Labyrinth, he used a ball of twine to help guide him back. Having no ball of twine myself, I was using my pen to mark the doors in numerical order," the albino said as he held up a ballpoint pen before hesitating, "although I did press rather hard into the surface..."

Rearing his head back, Aiken stared at him.

"Did you mark this door?" He queried, directing attention to the one before him.

"Did you see a number?"

"No..."

"Then we haven't gone through it." The albino stated matter-of-factly.

Aiken glanced back at the door in wonder before letting out a dry laugh. The albino stared at him, no doubt wondering if he had gone mad.

"Officer?" He asked with uncertainty.

The Bravo shook his head. "To think that all of this aggravation could have been avoided..." he trailed off. "I was ready to pull my own hair out."

Turning back to thank the albino, he watched as he anxiously fingered the hilt of his swords. "What's wrong?" Aiken asked.

There came a long pause before he decided to speak.

"...Am I going be charged with vandalism?"

"_That's_ what you were worried about?!" Aiken exclaimed. "I was sweating my balls off worrying about being lost and this train crashing, and you're worrying about _that_?!"

The albino said nothing, his mouth drawn in an anxious tight line.

Letting out a scoff, Aiken waved him off. "Forget about it. Come on, Rebecca."

"What's the point?" she asked in a defeated tone.

He scowled.

"Rebecca, now's not the time for this." He said impatiently. "Let's. Move."

"But what then?! What will the difference be between now and then?!" She demanded, her eyes red.

"We'll worry about that when we stop the train. Things will get better, I promise, now let's go!" Aiken snapped.

"Better?! Look around, Richard!" Rebecca gestured to the mess, "How are things going to get better?! "

The Bravo opened his mouth to respond, but hesitated. What could he possibly say to assure her? Ever since arriving, things have gone to crap. Sweeping his hand into his hair, Aiken gave an exasperated sigh, trying to find something to say.

Taking the exhalation as a cue, the albino lowered himself onto one knee. Using the other raised limb as support for his hands, he stared at the pitiful creature in front of him, studying her. The Bravos waited uncomfortably as seconds passed. Glancing up to the girl's tear-stained face, he spoke.

"The encounter with _him_ has hurt you more than can be realized." the albino said quietly, gesturing to Dewey's deceased form with a glance. "Seeing your comrade...in this state,...it has raised doubts within you,...about your own chances of survival,...your own...future, your own... abilities...in-in protecting the ones you care about. There lies the grim specter of failure,... and you are afraid,...not only because others could fall victim to this malign fate...but because this could be you,...and you fear the possibility that you could end up hurting others. I am not telling you to be unafraid. I am not Teiresias, so I don't know if things will get better between now and then. We can only hope things will improve..."

"And that's all we have." Rebecca scoffed. "Hope is such a splendid thing."

He nodded.

"Indeed, it is. But, with that said, there are people who are relying on you." Pausing momentarily, the albino glanced over to Edward's body, "Do you truly wish to wait around and allow this to happen?"

The girl sat quietly for a moment, taking in everything that was said. Sniffing, she slowed her breathing and wiped away her tears.

"N-no." She replied.

Reaching out to her with his large gloved paw-like hand, the albino held it in offering. Placing her hand in his, she climbed back onto her feet and cleaned herself up. Wiping her eyes, Rebecca turned to face him, looking down in shame.

"I-I'm sorry, Richard." She said quietly, "I was just-"

"Stress, I know," Aiken smiled reassuringly as he gave her pat on the shoulder, "don't beat yourself up over it."

Rebecca looked away, embarrassed and uncomfortable.

"Could you keep this between us?" She asked.

He gave her with a mock-confused expression.

"Keep what between us? I didn't see or hear anything." He replied with a wink.

A small smile formed on the rookie's lips.

Sobering up, he scooped the MP.5 from the carpet.

"Come on, let's get out of here."

Moving toward the door, the group approached Edward's remains one by one in order to pay their respects.

"Rest easy, buddy." Aiken said quietly with a slight salute.

As he stepped past, Rebecca came forward.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, looking down with sadness. "Be at peace, Edward."

After she departed from the cadaver, Aiken turned the doorknob when a slight creak caused him to turn around. Kneeling down beside the body was the albino as he stared upon its unmoving form. Fishing around briefly in one of his coat pockets, he reached out and placed his hand onto Edward's chest before pulling away, leaving a pair of silver quarters directly over the heart. Whispering something inaudible, Aiken leaned to his coworker.

"What did he say?" He quietly asked.

Rebecca's eyes furrowed.

"I don't know, but to me it sounded like 'May you find peace in the ih-lee-sium fields.'" She answered, trying to phonetically sound out the foreign word.

Aiken blinked.

"'Ih-lee-sium fields?'"

She shrugged.

"Another word for heaven?" The medic suggested.

Nodding, the Bravos fell silent as the albino rose to his full height and approached their position.

"Ready?" Aiken asked.

Receiving a nod from both coworker and prisoner, he began to turn the handle.

* * *

><p><em>Creaaaaaaaak.<em>

Rebecca watched as Aiken stepped through with submachine gun raised before following after him. Closing the door behind her, she moved aside as Star scratched into its surface before looking around all sides of the intersection, cursing the builders of this damned train for making the corridors so identical to each other. Hearing the hinges squeaking followed by wood slamming shut, she turned to see Aiken shaking his head with disappointment.

"Just private quarters." He said. Moving over for Star, they waited until he finished marking the door. Gesturing to the right, her coworker pointed down the hallway. "I think we're getting close. Let's check down there."

Stalking into the shadowed corridors, Rebecca followed after them, hoping that there was still time.

* * *

><p>"Oh my god."<p>

Rebecca heard the gasp escape from Aiken's lips as he stopped cold. Stepping over to his side, she was about to ask what the matter was when she saw it - a large, putrid mass made up of thousands of tiny bulbous shapes that ran along the walls, floor and ceiling.

"What is this?" She wondered aloud.

"Eggs," Aiken said with a stiff tone, his voice becoming laced with panic as there came an audible crack, "and they're hatching! RUN!"

One by one the miniature orbs started to burst like pus as she and the others twisted around to flee. Dashing down the shadowed corridor, her legs and feet sprang from the wooden floor, her heart and adrenaline working on overtime as she heard what sounded like waves lapping behind her.

'_Almost there, almost there, just don't look behind...'_

From one of the marked rooms at the intersection ahead of them, _it_ came, eliciting a startled cry from Rebecca and a loud "FUCK!" from Aiken as it appeared.

A thing with disproportionately long limbs and sickeningly green skin, the creature moved out from the doorway with an awkward and rubbery gait in its step, stopping just right in the middle of the hall, leering at them.

Not even breaking stride, Aiken fired the submachine gun, holding the trigger down before shoulder-checking into it. "FUCK! OFF!" he cried out as he pushed the creature back into the room from which it came. Rebecca can hear the wave lapping closer behind her as she kept running. The door was drawing ever closer. Now only two feet away from it, Rebecca felt something brush slightly along the back of her exposed ankles, causing her to shriek just as Aiken tackled the door open. Practically flying through, she was greeted by a burst of cold air and rain as she skidded across the carpeted floor, still screaming with disgust. "GET THEM OFF! GET THEM OFF!"Rebecca shrieked as she ran around like a maniac, "THEY'RE ON THE BACK OF MY LEGS, GET THEM OFF!"

"Rebecca, stand still so I can see!" She heard Aiken say with irritation after slamming the door.

Stopping for a moment to brush the back of her legs, she gave a shudder and scream of disgust before running off again, all-train of thought lost.

* * *

><p>Richard Aiken scowled as he tried catching up with Rebecca, but she was so damn quick. Each time he thought he had her, she would turn sharply off into a different direction.<p>

"GRAB HOLD OF HER!" He yelled to the albino as she rushed toward him.

With a swiftness startling for his height, he glided forward, reached out and grabbed her by the shoulders.

"LET ME GO, IT'S ON ME!" Rebecca screamed, tears pouring down her face as she struggled in his grip.

"Officer Chambers, please!" The albino pleaded.

"IT'S ON ME! I'M INFECTED!"

Aiken wiped the sweat from his brow as he caught up to them. "Like a chicken with its head cut off!" he said between pants. "Hold still so I can take a look-"

"There's no need to, she's not infected!" The albino said abruptly as he struggled to restrain the small girl. "Please, stop!"

Whether it was out of defeat or a lack of energy, she ceased her efforts, giving Aiken the chance to bend down and check as she whimpered.

"Where did you feel it?"

"On my ankles..." she said, her voice cracked and barely above a whisper.

Getting back up, he shook his head, gesturing for the albino to release her.

"Nothing there. It's okay, there was nothing there!" Aiken said in a soothing tone.

"Leave me." She whispered, her shoulders sagging as she stared at the floor.

"What?! Why?!"

"I'm going to turn into one of those things...leave me...please!"

"I am not leaving you here." Aiken said in a quiet voice.

"Then kill me."

The words brought a deep chill to Aiken's heart upon hearing them.

"I don't...I don't want to be like Edward...I don't...I don't want to die...but I don't want to be like that...I don't want to hurt anyone."

"You won't." the albino spoke. Aiken stared at him, curious by the certainty that he had in his tone.

Looking up at their captive, Rebecca glared.

"How can _you_ be so sure?! _It touched me! I felt it touch me!_" she spoke in a cracked voice.

"You haven't." the albino replied.

Tightening her fists, she angrily raised her voice to him, "I KNOW WHAT I FELT-"

"It was my coat," he explained, "I had been behind you when we were running. I had wanted to see how close they were, so I looked over my shoulder. The movement must have caused part of my coat to shift against your leg, because when I heard you scream, I turned just to see the hem flutter back to the side."

Absorbing this information, she was silent for a moment before lifting her gaze to meet his.

"You are not just saying that?"

"No. As I told you before, I am forbidden to lie." He said before giving a slight bow, "I am sorry for the hell that I put you through."

Pausing to take in what he said, Rebecca's form loosened.

"Thank God," she said, "thank God."

"The news gets better," Aiken added, "I know where we have to go now."

"What?" She blinked. "Are you sure?"

Aiken's eyes narrowed with grim certainty before turning back to view the room they were in. Realizing that she just ran in blindly, she followed his gaze before letting a gasp. Though barely lit, greeting the trio was the view of a bloodied and wrecked bar room. From two gaping holes in the ceiling, spittle drizzled onto them as they made out the tattered remains of the scorpion.

As his coworker looked to him, perplexed, Aiken gave a slow nod, answering her unasked question before pointing to something ahead.

"There's a ladder just over there, it leads down to the Conductor's apartment. From there we can get down to the main floor." he said, "I have no idea how much time is left, so let's hurry before we have any more problems."

Nodding in agreement, his companions hastily followed after him toward the rear of the bar. One by one they descended, the rookie following behind.

* * *

><p>Exiting out from the Conductor's apartment, the trio hastened down the familiar hallway toward the rear. Slamming the door behind, moving through the Employees' Resting Station, Rebecca helped Aiken slide the other one open before stopping abruptly, startled by the damage done to the next compartment.<p>

"What happened here?" She asked.

"I'm guessing that the leeches did this." Aiken said with a shrug.

"They did." Star affirmed. "Every surface they touched would dissolve. I think they secrete some sort of acid."

Aiken made a face. "Christ, just what we need."

Staring at the dissolved glass, Rebecca recalled the sound of that wave that had relentlessly pursued after them, shuddering at the memory. Looking around the room, she found herself puzzled.

"What about these marks?" Rebecca asked.

"What marks?" The albino asked in confusion.

"These." She said, gesturing to the various burns across the walls, floor and ceiling. "They don't look like acid burns. They came from in here."

He hesitated.

"Perhaps that creature back there was responsible." Star suggested as he nervously fingered the hilts of his swords. Seeing the tips of the albino's gloved fingers delicately caressing their handles, Rebecca found herself anxiously regretting the fact that not only she was feeling a little more comfortable with him, but also that he was armed and free. She had not forgotten the physical prowess that was displayed earlier, even though it had been out of self-defense. If it weren't for the fact that she and Aiken were armed, Rebecca was certain that Star would be more than capable of disabling and killing them if the occasion called for it. So far he had been very cooperative and patient with them, but it was difficult to determine if they were the virtues of a kind soul or the artifice of a disturbingly talented killer of men. She prayed that the former was true.

Lifting her eyes from his hands, she nodded slightly.

"Maybe." She answered, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice.

Star stared down with thought before lifting his head.

"I'll just grab my bags." He said.

Following him toward the rear of the car, Rebecca watched with Aiken as he bent down and scrupulously checked a pair of large black suitcases. Satisfied, Star gave a nod.

"I found them."

"Could you open your luggage?" Aiken asked.

Glancing up at him, the albino hesitated.

"What for?" he queried.

"Just open it up so we can view its contents."

"No."

Rebecca blinked, surprised by the sudden refusal and bluntness of his tone.

"Mr. Wolf, I need you to open those cases." Aiken said with authority.

"I'm not carrying anything illegal." Star asserted.

"Then why are you refusing?"

"Because it is private!" the albino snapped, causing the Bravos to flinch. Hesitating, he looked down as he continued in a calmer tone, "My apologies for that outburst, but I can't let you view its contents."

"And why is that?" Aiken asked suspiciously.

"I can't tell you."

"Not a good enough answer."

"It's an extremely personal matter." came the cryptic response. "Only one member of the S.T.A.R.S. team has the right to see."

Rebecca looked up shakily.

"M-me?" she squeaked.

He shook his head.

"No, not even you." Star replied.

"Then who?!" Aiken demanded.

The albino remained silent, refusing to answer. Rebecca stared at him. What was he trying to protect?

"You know what, to hell with your obscurity." Aiken said with annoyance as he approached his suitcases, "I'll see for myself."

His fingers brushed against the handle when Star grabbed him by the wrist, causing Rebecca's heart to jump and reach for her sidearm. Looking up to the gloved hand's owner, Aiken leveled his gaze. Rebecca saw the anger in her coworker's eyes. It looked as if he was trying to muster up every ounce of control to keep himself from breaking Star's hand.

"Assaulting...a police officer...is...a _serious_ offense." he said in a low and threatening voice, raising the hairs on the medic's neck, "Let. Me. Go."

The cross-like scars on the albino's face narrowed onto the Bravo like cross-hairs before relinquishing his grip.

Stepping back, he placed some distance between himself and Aiken, allowing the latter to continue with what he was doing. Glaring at Star, he looked over to Rebecca. Despite the fact that there were no verbal cues, she understood exactly what he wanted her to do. Giving a slight nod of acknowledgment, the medic leveled her sidearm with Star in her sights.

As Aiken slowly approached the suitcases, the albino remained still, his form tense, his face partially shadowed by his coat's red hood. Setting them both down onto their sides, the Bravo carefully pressed down on the locks until there came audible snaps. Opening the first case, he gave a slight whistle.

"Nice suits." He said admiringly.

Curious, Rebecca turned her head to see Aiken hold up a pair of hangers. On the first hanger was an elegant black suit completely devoid of wrinkles and stains, consisting of a pair of smooth and neatly-trimmed trousers, a double-breasted coat, tie and a white formal shirt. The second, though similar in style, was of a rich marine blue with a black tie. Putting them down to the floor beside him, much to Star's apparent annoyance, Rebecca watched as Aiken continued rummaging through. Though mainly consisting of clothes, all of which were neatly organized on a box that contained a pair of sleek black dress shoes, the suitcase's contents included a collection of books that seemed of eclectic fashion, ranging from the academic and in some cases philosophical to the more fictional and poetic. Squinting, Rebecca made out names like Foucalt, Hegel, Poe, Milton, Shelley and others that she didn't recognize. As Aiken placed them aside, Rebecca was surprised when he suddenly pulled out a small Gameboy along with a case from one of the side pockets. Glancing at the latter, she recognized it as Super Mario Bros., a game that she had frequently played at the arcade.

Turning to face Star, she raised an eyebrow, causing him to turn away, either out of embarrassment or anger.

"This one's clean." Aiken said aloud as he finished patting the suitcase down. Turning his attention to the second case, Rebecca briefly watched as he opened it up before returning her gaze back to Star.

"What the hell?"

Turning to ask what was wrong, Rebecca saw what he was staring at. Like the other suitcase, the contents were carefully arranged, but they were of an odder assortment, which included two containers of hair dye - one brown the other blonde, - a pair of black sunglasses, a makeup kit, a container of cleaning cloths, cotton pads and a box of gauze bandages. The stranger pieces, though, were picked up by Aiken's fingers. Rebecca grimaced at the sight.

"Is that...is that flesh?" She stammered.

"No, it's latex." Her coworker replied, dropping them with disgust back into the bag.

"My scars." Star whispered in explanation.

Turning back to face him, Rebecca saw his form stiffen, his hands clenched. What made him especially pitiable was the look of complete and utter humiliation - with his pursed lips and slight pout, he looked like he wanted to cry.

"Now that you've seen what's inside, can I take back my bags?" The albino asked in a strained and impatient tone.

"I'm not finished." Aiken said coldly before continuing to dig through. Reaching in, he pulled out the last three objects - a sketchbook, a notebook, and a curious manuscript bound in vellum. He was just about to check the latter when the radio went off.

"Richard? Rebecca? Anyone there! Over!" Marini's voice shouted urgently.

The Bravo raised his radio.

"Aiken here."

"Are you and Rebecca there yet?!"

"Not yet. We had to make a detour."

"Then hurry up and get to the device already!"

"On it. Over and out." Aiken replied.

Lifting his head, he nodded to his companions.

"We need to go." He motioned.

"I'll stay and clean this up." Star said with an edge to his voice.

Rebecca looked at him.

"Star-"

"Go, I still have to check on something." He replied, turning his attention to the mess that Aiken made. "I will meet you there when I'm finished. I promise."

Watching as he went to work, Rebecca looked over to her coworker. Nodding quietly to her, the Bravos left the albino behind, focused on their task at hand.


	12. Chapter Eleven: Countdown

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Eleven: Countdown**

"Is something wrong?"

Rebecca blinked upon hearing the query from Aiken.

"I'm sorry?" She asked.

"You have this look on your face," he explained. "You want to talk about it?"

"It's nothing," she assured. "It's just...well, I was just thinking about Star, that's all."

He gave a short derisive snort.

"What?"

"Sorry, I just can't help but roll my eyes at that name. It just sounds stupid." He replied.

Rebecca scowled.

"Well, a lot of people have funny names." She pointed out.

"Yeah, but 'Star?' Talk about pretentious."

"And what is short for 'Richard'?"

"Hey, for your information, it's a perfectly good name."

Rebecca opened her mouth to make a retort, but stopped upon realizing how childish it seemed.

"Names aside, what's bothering you?" Aiken pressed.

The medic hesitated before answering. For Rebecca, Star inspired a number of contradictory feelings within her. On the one hand, she felt a sense of relief that he fell behind. The way he had fingered the hilts of his weapons repeatedly was making her nervous with anticipation. Even more nerve-wracking was the change that briefly overcame him when Aiken demanded to see his belongings, an unpleasant reminder of how she shouldn't let her guard down. On the other hand, though, there came the stomach-twisting sense of being incomplete and vulnerable. Not only had her group decreased in size, but the albino was now alone and open for any attacker crawling around in the compartment, be it flesh-eating zombie or blood-sucking leech.

"I just...I just don't feel comfortable with the idea of abandoning him like that." She said simply.

"We're not 'abandoning' anyone. He wanted to stay behind." Aiken replied. "When he's ready, he'll catch up. For now, let's just keep our attention focused on shutting down the train. I'm getting sick of this damn place."

Nodding in agreement, Rebecca followed after him. As she approached the door at the end of the corridor, she glanced over her shoulder in Star's direction before turning away.

* * *

><p>Passing straight through the various corridors with Aiken, Rebecca studied her surroundings, taking in with sorrow and disgust the myriad and still forms of the passengers.<p>

"My God." She whispered weakly, her lips trembling.

Her coworker made no comment, and it was probably just as well, for how can anyone provide commentary after seeing this tragic sight for themselves?

Room after room, corridor after corridor, bodies greeted their views. Bodies of every age group, gender, and skin tone; all stripped of life and laid out across the car like meat. Seeing them struck a chord deep within Rebecca. Up until now, it had never occurred to her just how truly horrible this situation was. Ever since her encounter with them, Rebecca used the word "zombie" as if it denoted something separate from humanity. To a certain extent, it was true. These creatures were without mercy, without morality, without logic and reason. At the same time, though, it would be thoughtless to forget the fact that they _had been _people too, people with friends and families, who _were_ friends and families. And that was what had made Rebecca feel both horrified and ashamed; she had never acknowledged them as people. This realization became intensified upon finding the remains of a woman and child near a washroom stall, their bodies littered with bullet holes and shell casings.

She watched as Aiken stiffened at the sight, working his jaw as if trying to find something to say to justify this.

"...Strange how we always come back to the spot that we don't want to." Was all he could muster. Rebecca shifted with discomfort as she stared downward.

"Were...were these-"

"Yeah." He replied.

The two remained still as they stared at the remains.

"So many bodies." Rebecca said. "To think...to think all these people-"

"I know."

"And that-that after..." She stammered. "Is it- is it terrible for someone to disregard who they were when they..._become_ one of them?"

Aiken opened his mouth, but then lowered his chin.

"I thought that it would have been a more of a mercy." He replied honestly. "Better to remember the people they were rather than the monsters they became. Then again, I don't know these people, nor do I know the answer."

He turned toward the rear door, just about to grab the handle when she spoke up again.

"...Do you think Star could be involved with Umbrella?" She quietly asked.

"You know what I already think about him, Rebecca."

"You said that you believe him to be one of these creatures. Do you think he is one of Umbrella's..." Rebecca paused as she tried to find the right word, "soldiers?"

Her coworker paused. From his demeanor it was apparent that he never considered that possibility. Taking a moment to think, he shook his head with uncertainty.

"I don't know. He's a frustrating person to read." He replied.

Giving a slight nod in agreement, the rookie looked around to make sure no one was listening.

"Do you think-do you think he's just leading us on...until he finds the right moment to...kill us?" She asked in a jittery and frightened manner before whispering the last part, as if afraid that the albino would hear her and come for them.

"Again, I don't know." Came the reply. Aiken's eyes narrowed coldly, "If he tries to pull something, I'll take him out."

The comment chilled Rebecca.

"Isn't that extreme? I mean, killing-"

"Whoa whoa whoa, I didn't saying anything about killing, rookie," Aiken interrupted, "I said 'take him out', meaning disable. I'm not killing anyone. There's too much paperwork. But...if in the event we find ourselves in a situation where killing is our _only_ option to save our colleagues, I'll have to make the compromise."

"But...what if _I'm_ the one in that situation? What should I do?" Rebecca asked worriedly.

"There are a lot of ways to go about it without resorting to violence. It's just a question of judgement call."

The medic swallowed.

"Then let's hope that time will never come." She whispered.

Patting her on the shoulder, Aiken gave her a nod of reassurance.

"You won't have to worry about it. I'll make sure it never happens." He said before departing.

Following after him, Rebecca looked back at the cadavers and froze, struck by how wrong it seemed to just leave them there like that without paying any respects. Fishing around in her pant pocket, the medic pulled out a handful of coins. Taking two pairs of quarter dollars, she placed the rest back.

"Just give me a second, Richard."

Stepping toward the bodies, she kneeled down and laid the coins down onto their chests. Upon finishing, Rebecca straightened herself up, satisfied with what she had done as she nodded to her coworker.

"Rest in peace." The medic said softly as she looked back over her shoulder.

* * *

><p>The first thing that greeted the Bravos as the door opened was the burst of cold air and rain, along with an empty platform. Like the catwalks around the container, only a set of handrails kept them from facing a gruesome demise on the track. Wrinkling her eyes, Rebecca peered through the drizzle, raising up her hand to shield her brow. Where was it?<p>

"Over here!" Aiken shouted.

Twisting around, her features brightened as she saw a wall-mounted card reader.

Approaching the box, she slipped out the Magnetic card, shakily raising up her radio.

"Captain, we found the control panel for the breaks." She said excitedly.

"Good to hear."

"What do we do now?" Rebecca asked eagerly.

"Keep yourself steady, rookie, I need you to focus. Take a deep breath. Don't worry, I'll guide you through." The voice assured.

Inhaling through her nose, Rebecca slowed down her heart rate.

"Are you ready?"

"Yes sir." She said with determination.

"Okay, insert the Magnetic card into the device."

Raising the card within her hand, Rebecca quickly yet steadily slipped it through. Her heart leapt with joy as it emitted a chirp of approval.

"Got it." She replied.

"Excellent. All you have to do now is enter the Rear Deck Code." The radio crackled. As it spoke, a small screen flashed on the device, showing the number eighty-one behind a bracket. Along the top of the screen were ten unlit lights, while underneath were a series of buttons, each labeled with a number, from one to nine. Rebecca eyed every detail, taking in everything.

"Okay, just a bit of a math problem. Basic addition. Should be no problem." She said quietly.

Reaching forward, she began.

"Nine...eighteen...twenty-seven...thirty-six..."

Rebecca faltered when there came a loud crash of thunder, her muscles constricting instantly as she felt the rumble through her chest.

"Thirty-six...forty-five..."She continued, "fifty-four...sixty-three...seventy-two-"

The wall in front of her flashed, causing her and Aiken to twist around.

"Just lightning." Aiken muttered nervously. "Plain, regular old lightning."

Rebecca's throat tightened as she turned back to the device, her hands shakily reaching up.

"Seventy-two-"

"Come on, Rebecca, come on! Now! Now!"

"Don't rush me!" She snapped, "Aw dammit, what was the number?"

"Seventy-two, I think." Aiken replied impatiently.

"Right." she nodded.

'_Please let this be correct, God!'_ she thought to herself.

Reaching out nervously, she pressed in six and three. To her delight, the screen flashed green, the words 'ACCESS GRANTED' scrawled across.

"YES!" She shouted excitedly.

"YOU DID IT!" Aiken shouted with her.

Whooping loudly, the pair wrapped their arms around each other in a tight hug before pulling back.

"Sorry." Rebecca said with embarrassment.

"It was my fault." Aiken assured.

As he reached for his radio, Rebecca felt her chest swell up with pride.

Maybe she was good for something after all.

* * *

><p>"Yeah, I read you five-by-five, Richard. Take the rookie and get back into the car, we'll handle things from here. Over and out." Marini said.<p>

"About time those idiots got the thing running." Forest said frostily with his arms folded.

"You should be more grateful, Speyer. I could have sent you out there." Marini snapped.

Saying nothing in response, the Bravo turned his attention to the monitor in front of him.

"Okay, sixty-seven." He murmured. Raising his hand, he started entering in the code, counting as he did so. "Seven...fourteen...twenty-one...thirty-five-"

"Thirty-five? What happened to twenty-eight?" Coen balked.

"My mistake!" Forest muttered.

"Mistake my ass, I call it 'Hey, what the fuck are you doing?!'" The convict said with irritation.

"Enough!" Marini growled as Forest opened his mouth to make a retort. The Bravo Captain watched as he turned back to the console before giving Coen a glare. Pressing the final digits, Marini narrowed his eyes as the screen turned red, the words ACCESS DENIED scrawled across.

"Shit!" He heard Forest swore.

"Where did _you_ learn to count?!" Coen hotly demanded.

"I'm doing it over, get off my back!" The Bravo said heatedly as he turned back to the screen, only to throw his arms up with annoyance. "Oh fuck you, console! See this? Now I have to do a different number!"

"Forest, I did not give you permission to bitch!" Marini said in a restrained tone.

Scowling, the Bravo lowered himself toward the monitor. Marini heard him whisper "Fucking computer" before counting numbers aloud.

"Three...six...nine...twelve...fifteen..."

Marini's radio crackled.

"Captain! Captain! Please pick up!" Rebecca's voice said urgently, startling Forest from his counting. Raising the radio, the Bravo Captain pressed into the receiver.

"Marini here. What's wrong?"

"We just spotted one of those pink lightning strikes!"

Upon its mention, the entire cabin fell silent, all eyes now turned toward Marini.

"You're sure?"

"Yes!"

"Did you see where it struck?"

"It was hard to tell, it was somewhere beyond the trees!"

Forest was frozen stiff over the console, eyeing the radio as if he was being told that someone placed a bomb onboard.

"Thanks for info. If you see anything else, be sure to let us know. Over and out." Marini ordered calmly as he gave a sigh of exasperation. Just what he needed, more complications.

* * *

><p>Pressing herself against the window, Rebecca stared out into the woods for any sign of change.<p>

'_I must have overreacted.'_ She thought to herself.

Despite her own assurance, for some intangible reason, the medic remained stationed by the window. She shook her head with disbelief at her own behavior, feeling like one of those idiots that waited out for long periods to catch a glimpse of either Big Foot or a UFO. Then again, she reflected, not many would admit to having been attacked by said-creatures.

"It's strange, isn't it?" Aiken spoke up, as if reading her mind. "Zombies, leeches and cyborgs- man, talk about a doozy of a first day!"

"Yeah," she said in agreement.

Together, they stared out at the woods. Trees and shadows blurred together in a seamless kaleidoscope of monochrome imagery by the moonlight and rain.

"...Do you think this is real?"

The question just sprang from Rebecca's lips, catching Aiken off-guard.

"What do you mean by that? What are you suggesting, that this all some sort of hallucination?" He asked stiffly.

Rebecca shrank underneath the intensity of his glare.

"Never mind."

"No, don't 'never mind' me! Why the hell would you say something like that?!" Aiken demanded.

The medic squirmed underneath his gaze.

"It's just...we don't know anything about this 't-virus,' not even in terms of what symptoms to look for. For all we know, hallucinations might be part of it. Seeing the discolored lightning, it just...when I heard about it from Forest, of the seemingly magical properties that it possessed, the first thought that came to mind was that he had experienced some form of delusion as a result of shock, possibly from witnessing Kevin's brutal murder, but now that I thinking about it, I'm wondering if it's a symptom." She explained.

Aiken stared at her, his features growing increasingly morose.

"Rebecca, I know you're frightened," he said slowly, "but you're setting yourself up for the worst with those thoughts."

"Someone has to voice them!" Rebecca insisted, raising the volume of her vocals. Turning back to the shifting Rorschach-like imagery outside, she continued in a calmer tone.

"I know how it looks when viewed from that angle...but the question has to be asked, Richard. What-what if those 'zombies' were real people? Have we-have we been unknowingly gunning down _innocent civilians_?"

The Bravo tightened the muscles in his jaw, clearly uncomfortable with what she's saying.

"I don't-I don't know what to believe anymore, Richard...and I'm absolutely terrified! If I accept these creatures as fantasy, it will mean that I'm crazy and that I murdered innocent people under the delusion that I was being attacked when in actuality they were only trying to seek help! If I accept everything as being real...that one of the most venerated pharmaceutical companies is secretly making viruses that turns people into monsters with government backing...what does that say about our own society?"

Before she had a chance to vocalize more of her thoughts, Rebecca felt a pair of hands gently clamp around her upper arms, causing her to look up.

"You're not going crazy." Aiken said softly.

The medic shifted her gaze down.

"But...how could such a thing be condoned? How...is it that-that no one even _knew_ about this, let alone come forward?"

Either out of refusal or uncertainty, he didn't answer. Turning toward the window, Rebecca and Aiken stared off into the constantly shifting mass of trees and shadows.

* * *

><p>"For Christ's sakes, how could you have screwed it up <em>again<em>?!"

"Hey, you wanna give it a try?! Be my guest!"

"SHUT UP!" Marini roared, interrupting the bickering. Giving a sharp glare to Forest, he watched as the Bravo shrank. "This train isn't going to shut itself, Speyer. Do it again!"

Forest nodded slowly and turned back to the console.

'_Please God, let him get it right this time!' _The Bravo Captain prayed.

By nature, he was usually a patient person. However, like anyone else, Marini has his limits, and currently his bullshit threshold had reached its apex. If Forest screwed up again, it won't be the train crash that he'll have to worry about.

"Fifteen...twenty-one...twenty-four..."

"Press six." Coen spoke up.

"I know what I'm doing thank you," Forest said with annoyance, "Thirty, and...done!"

Marini grinned as the console flashed green.

"Excellent!"

* * *

><p>Rebecca turned with a start as a nearby set of doors whirred open. Seeing Star's familiar form step through with a suitcase in each hand, she and Aiken gave a steady nod in greeting.<p>

"Have you found the device?" Star queried.

"Yeah, we're just waiting to hear back from the Captain." She replied.

As he shifted his gaze away from them, Rebecca watched as his stoicism faltered, his shoulders sagging slightly downward with discouragement.

"They were like this when we arrived." She said aloud.

"Who laid out the coins?"

"I did."

Tilting his head in her direction, he shifted back to the remains. Wordlessly, he placed the suitcases down, stepped forward and lowered himself onto his knees.

'_What is he doing?'_ she wondered.

Upon finishing, the albino straightened himself and stepped back. Turning her attention to the cadavers, Rebecca was surprised to see the coins carefully arranged over their eyes.

"A funerary custom from Arkham, I take it?" She asked.

"In ancient times, coins would be left within the mouth for Charon, the ferryman of the dead." Came the solemn reply.

"Ugh." Aiken said with disgust.

"For obvious reasons, I chose the variant of that practice." The albino explained.

"I thought you said you didn't believe in this sort of stuff." Aiken said.

"I don't. At the same time, though, it would be wrong to not grant them some sort of acknowledgment, of respect..."

Trailing off, the albino looked down, his features shadowed by the coat's red hood as he continued hesitatingly. "I-I would have done this for the others, but I don't-"

"You don't have to explain, I understand." Rebecca said gently.

Aiken shook his head at the bodies.

"What a waste. A dollar fifty's an ill-fitting payment for three lives."

When Star opened his mouth to respond, Aiken's radio went off.

"Richard, do you copy?" Marini's voice crackled.

"10-4. Please tell me it's good news, sir!" Aiken clicked.

"Believe me, it is. We've managed to remove the lock and we're going to be using the manual brakes in a moment. Grab some blankets, comforters, and pillows to wrap around yourselves in case we might need to jump. Radio us when you're ready."

"Yes sir."

Upon finishing, the trio hastily began their search.

* * *

><p>"Oh fuck."<p>

Marini raised his eyes to Forest. He opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when he saw the source of his worries.

"Oh my God." He breathed.

* * *

><p>Rebecca checked every row of shelves and seats. Where were-<p>

"Listen up! We're coming up on a blockade! I'll need you to be ready to jump!" the radio crackled.

"SHIT!" Aiken swore as he upped his pace.

"Richard, I can't find anything!" Rebecca said, panic in her voice.

"Me neither." He replied, his forehead damp.

A series of clicks followed by the distinctive sound of a zipper being drawn down made the Bravos turn. To Rebecca's surprise, Star held out his clothes and folded coat in offering.

"Use these."

Hesitatingly taking hold of the coat along with some shirts, Rebecca took a moment to study the former. From its smooth and pebbly surface, the coat appeared to be made from a soft leather.

'_What beautiful embroidery,'_ Rebecca thought as her fingers admiringly traced themselves along the seams, impressed by the stitching. Giving a nod of thanks, she proceeded to wrap the red coat around her torso and head, making sure to add plenty of padding to protect the latter.

Upon finishing, Rebecca turned back to face the others. Part of her wanted to laugh at how ridiculous they looked, but the fact that they were facing certain death made her bite her tongue.

"Everyone ready?" Aiken asked.

Giving him a nervous nod each, Rebecca and Star stared with grim anticipation.

Raising the radio, Aiken pressed into the receiver.

"Captain, we're ready to jump!"

"Copy that! We're gonna turn on the breaks in a moment. As soon as we get this tub to slow down, we'll let you know when to jump!" the radio crackled.

"Roger." Turning to the others, Aiken gestured to one of the rows. "Everyone, get yourselves seated."

Following the more experienced Bravo's instructions, Rebecca sat between the two males, with Star up against the window, and Aiken near the seats' edge.

As seconds counted down to minutes, Rebecca's nerves became increasingly frayed.

Impulsively grabbing the hands of both her seating partners, she waited for the signal.

"Everything's gonna be okay, rookie." Aiken said reassuringly. "It's gonna be-"

There came a slight bump, cutting him off. Rebecca's stomach tightened uncomfortably. Something was wrong.

"Okay, I think that's our cue-"

Before Aiken had a chance to finish, there came a sharp jolt followed by an intense pressure that pushed Rebecca back into her seat.

'_Oh my God, what's happening?!'_ she thought with worry.

Her life flashed before her eyes. Rebecca thought of all the things that she had accomplished, along with all of the regrets that she had. She hadn't minded that she was one of the very few teenagers that never went on a date, nor had she minded the imposed isolation from other girls within her age group. When she thought back to her mother and her own goals, though, the medic closed her tear-stung eyes.

"Mother, I'm sorry I failed you." she whispered.

The last things Rebecca saw and heard before the blackness took over was the hallway violently exploding with glass and debris, the roaring shriek of metal scraping against metal, along with her own screams.


	13. Chapter Twelve: Derailed

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters. **

**Sorry for the delay. Progress had been hampered by outside factors. A huge shout-out to zipscool for his immense help. For anyone reading, I highly recommend his stories, he's an excellent writer. On a side note, for the first part of this chapter, I recommend reading it at night while listening to a particular soundtrack from RESIDENT EVIL REVELATIONS, a crap game (storywise) with some great music and atmosphere in parts. The song: QUEEN DIDO HALLWAY. **

**Chapter Twelve: Derailed**

When Rebecca awoke, the first things that she became aware of was the blinding halo that shone over head, along with the throbbing within her ears and the long sheet of glass that encased her entire body. Blinking, the medic tried to readjust her sight, but it ebbed and flowed, a sensation that was both alien yet at the same distinctively familiar.

'_What the hell?'_ She wondered.

She tried to move her limbs, but for whatever reason she found herself unable to do so.

Had she been rendered paralyzed by the crash?

Worry filled her mind as she willed her body to move. Worry turned to terror as her body refused to obey.

Oh God, please don't let this be!

She tried to open her mouth and call out, but her facial muscles couldn't even respond. The only sort of muscle control she had was with her eyes.

'_What's going on?! Why can't I move?!'_ Came the thought.

Looking upward, Rebecca saw a pair of overhead lights shining over a distinctively watery surface. From the shape of the roof, floor and glass, she was in some sort of water-filled tube, but what was really strange, though, was that she couldn't feel a thing, not even the water's touch.

Who brought her here?

Lowering her eyes back to the glass, Rebecca focused her attention on the exterior surroundings, hoping to catch sight of the person or persons that placed her in this prison, maybe even something to help her determine where she was. Greeting her, instead, was what looked to be a massive dark amphitheater with several different stairways and overhanging catwalks supported by long cables, each one attached to a stalactite-covered ceiling. Dotting each section of the stairways and various rows like lanterns were clusters of containers just like the one she was in, the sole sources of light within this shadowy hell. There must have been over several hundred people within this room, maybe more.

'_Where am I?'_ Rebecca wondered in awe.

Based on her positioning, she was somewhere on the upper levels, close to one of said-catwalks. Drifting her vision along its rails, she followed it to the center of the amphitheater, where she saw a great ring-like platform surrounding something huge and slightly iridescent. Though the thing was concealed by a thick snowy-haze, Rebecca detected constant movement. In a way, it reminded her of a great windmill, but what kind of windmill could operate underground and produce wind? Each flap from said- "sails" resulted in an audible and powerful gust that howled, groaned and whistled hollowly in a repetitively throbbing beat throughout the amphitheater. For reasons unexplained, Rebecca felt a potent terror swell up within her the longer she stared in its direction.

'_Silly girl, you're imagining things.' _The medic thought as she shifted her eyes nervously away. Studying the containers themselves, Rebecca noticed how each one was connected to a series of hoses, pipes and wires along with different types of medical equipment, including an ECG monitor. Turning her attention away from the equipment, she squinted her eyes at the containers' unwitting prisoners, wondering if she could spot anyone from her team. Whether it was due to the extremely poor, almost chiaroscuro-like lighting outside, the murkiness of the water within the containers, the tinting of their glasses, or a combination of _all_ those elements, the medic found herself unable to spot any identifiable features.

'_I wish I was able to see them properly.'_ Came the thought.

The more she tried to focus on their features, the more the elements seemed to interfere and impose upon her perception and imagination, for there were times where the figures within would seem inhuman in proportion. At other times, she would catch a glimpse of what looked like horns and claws.

Scrunching up her eyes, the medic glanced back to the glass wall of her prison. Part of her wanted to squirm. Although Rebecca had never considered herself claustrophobic, the overwhelmingly close proximity of it was starting to get to her.

'_God, I feel like I'm going to suffo-'_

Pausing in her thoughts, Rebecca became aware of something that both puzzled and horrified her at the same time; _she didn't seem to be breathing at all!_

'_What's happened?! What's happening to me?!'_ She mentally shrieked.

The glass in front of her darkened, disrupting her thoughts as she saw a face peer in at her. A man in this late thirties to early forties with sunglasses, he had a striking hardness that made him seem as if he were molded from steel. With his neatly-trimmed blackish-gray hair, high forehead, raised cheekbones and strong aquiline nose, he looked more like some sort of sculpture brought to life. A circular beard enclosed a stern mouth with thin lips. Taken together, it reminded Rebecca of pictures that she had seen of old-world aristocracy. Before she had a chance to observe more of his features, let alone demand what he wanted, the man raised his hand to the glass. Upon making contact with it, Rebecca felt a slight shock followed by blackness.

* * *

><p>"-can you hear me?! Are you okay?!"<p>

Groaning, the medic's eyes fluttered open dizzily and stared upward toward the ceiling. No longer in that glass prison, she felt partially gladdened by the familiar surroundings of the train car's interior, but was put off by the smell of something burning and the pain in her head.

"Rebecca?"

Lowering her eyes, she saw Aiken and Star kneeling over her. While the latter appeared to be relatively untouched, the former had bruises and scratches on parts of his face.

"You gave us a real good scare there, rookie." Aiken said with relief.

"What happened? Where are we?" She asked, her voice rough and cracked.

"Train crashed into some tunnel and flung us from our seats. Don't know how long I was out. When I woke up, though, you were just standing there, staring at us."

Rebecca blinked.

"I was?" She asked with surprise.

"Yeah, it was kind of spooky. For a moment I thought you became one of those things. Then, you just...sort of passed out."

Shifting her gaze repeatedly from person to person, Rebecca stared perplexedly at them.

"I think the combination of shock and adrenaline just got to you. You're okay now." Star assured.

Nodding in agreement, Rebecca gave a slight smile. As she did so, thoughts drifted back to that netherworld and the glass prison that she had been confined in.

Had it all been a dream?

On the one hand, Rebecca felt a great sense of relief to be in the company of friends and in a more recognizable, though unpleasant, environment. At the same time, though, she felt the disconcerting sensation of having been removed from her own body.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Aiken asked.

"I'm a little sore, but I feel fine."

"Could you stay still while I check for injuries?"

"Don't worry, I'm fine." Rebecca said with confidence as she sat herself up. "Can you two help me up?"

Giving her a nod, the two men grabbed both of her hands and hefted her back onto her feet. For a moment, Rebecca became aware of an awkwardness in her movements, as if she were testing out her limbs for the first time. She stumbled forward, collapsing into the arms of her coworker.

"Whoa, take it easy, rookie. Nice and slow." Aiken said.

"Sorry, I think it's that extra adrenaline." She replied.

"Do you need support?" Star asked.

"A little bit." She admitted.

Lowering his shoulder, he presented it to her, allowing Rebecca to drape her arm around his neck. Looking back to the albino, she watched as he moved forward to help with the other side.

"What about your luggage?"

"I'll come back for them." He answered as they guided her toward the rear exit.

* * *

><p>When the door opened, Rebecca felt an uncomfortable, almost blistering heat. Stepping toward the edge of the platform with Aiken, she watched as Star delicately and soundlessly stepped off before turning around to help her. When her feet touched the ground, she heard the distinctive tink of metal, stumbling for a moment before righting herself back up on a concrete floor.<p>

"I think can manage." Rebecca said.

Sliding off from their shoulders, she gave an appreciative nod.

"Thanks, guys."

Aiken smiled and gave her thumbs up. Star remained motionless, his attention fixed on something behind her. Blinking questioningly at him, Rebecca followed his gaze back to the train itself, taken completely aback by the devastation. Lighting up the tunnels with a hellishly orange hue along its concrete walls, floors and smoke-clad ceiling, the train lay there, mangled and ablaze. Cars were sprawled out off the tracks and on their sides, some even lying upside down. Looking back to him, she gave a nod of disbelief.

"Hard to believe that we survived that!"

"Indeed."

"Do you think the others-"

"Shh. Listen." Aiken said stiffly.

Wondering what got him on edge, she paused as she heard something over the loud roar of the crackling flames, just barely audible. Voices.

"I think it's the Captain!" Aiken said before encircling his hands around his mouth, "CAPTAIN?! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"OVER HERE!" the muffled voice called back from the other side of the wreckage.

"I'll just go back and get my belongings." Star replied.

Nodding, Rebecca turned back to Aiken as he waved over to her, "Come on!"

Following after him, the duo traveled along the sides of the tracks, making sure to keep a safe distance between themselves and the flames as they flickered out like tongues. Unconsciously pulling a part of her collar up to cover her nose and mouth, Rebecca's eyes squinted through the thick smoke, her ears straining as she heard a fragment between Forest and Marini.

"Aside from the scrapheap here, we have nothing in terms of weapons. Still can't find him either."

"Keep looking, we can't take any chances, especially with Coen around."

Pushing onward, Rebecca spotted Marini, though his features remained partially shadowed.

"Captain!" She cried.

Raising his sidearm with a start, he paused before promptly lowering the barrel.

"Jeez. Give a guy a warning."

She smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." she replied.

"Where's Wolf?"

Rebecca wanted to say more, but upon moving closer and seeing his condition more clearly by the hellish flickering light, her words died out in the back of her throat. One eye had swollen up to immense proportions while his lip, brow, chin and parts of his cheek bled freely. It was an all-too familiar vision for the medic, one that she usually associated with a sharp temper amplified by alcohol. It sickened and unnerved her.

"He's just getting his suitcases." Aiken said as he eyed the damage done to Marini's face, "Jesus Christ, are you okay, Captain?"

"I could be better." He replied as he took in their appearances. "Nice outfits."

Flushing with embarrassment, Rebecca was about to make a retort when she heard something crash. Turning to the source, she saw Forest and Coen searching through some debris, the latter calling out something that she couldn't hear over the din of the raging fire. The former straightened himself up and approached the Captain, holding something up.

"I found the MP5." He said, looking mournfully down at a submachine gun with an inwardly bent barrel within his hands.

"Damn it." Marini growled as Forest chucked it aside.

Studying each person carefully, Rebecca noted how all three men were the worst for wear. Their torn and ruffled clothing complimented the various bruises and cuts made into their exposed flesh. Looking around, she became aware of a wrongness that needed to be addressed.

"Where's Kenneth?" Rebecca asked.

Marini shook his head slowly.

"I don't know," he answered, "he's disappeared. I don't know if he was flung somewhere during the crash or if he's buried underneath this crap, but we're still trying to look for him."

"I'll help." She volunteered. Giving her a nod, the Bravo Captain turned away, placing his hands together to form a makeshift megaphone, calling out his name.

Placing hers together, Rebecca joined in the search.

* * *

><p>"KEEEENNNNNNETH!"<p>

"YO KENNETH!"

The Bravo's name reverberated among the group as they searched among the wreckage.

"KENNETH?!" Rebecca repeated loudly. "WHERE ARE YOU!? CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

Where did he go?

Drifting her gaze toward the cab unit a few feet away from them, Rebecca stared, stunned by the amount of damage delivered to it. "Crushed" was an inappropriate term to define it. It was completely flattened, nothing more than a mangled and distorted mesh of metal.

The fact that everyone managed to survive it was a miracle.

_Had everyone survived?_

Rebecca frowned. She shouldn't be thinking that way.

Tink, tink, tink.

Rebecca felt herself stiffen as she heard the unmistakable sounds of footsteps behind her.

"Kenneth?" She asked in a hopeful voice. Turning around, her features fell upon seeing the source, watching as he carefully placed his bags down.

"Oh, it's just you." She said to Star with disappointment.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"A member of my team has gone missing." Rebecca replied.

Star hesitated. "Do you think he's been...killed?"

"I hope not. Your help would be greatly appreciated."

"I'll do what I can. What is his name?"

"Kenneth Sullivan."

Nodding to her, they resumed calling out his name with the others.

"KENNETH!"

"OFFICER SULLIVAN?!"

"KENNETH?!"

"OFFICER SULLIVAN!"

"PLEASE RESPOND!"

A response came in the form of a loud creak, followed by a series of moans that resonated along the tunnel.

"Oh fuck." Coen said.

Spilling out through the mangled remains of the various windows and doorways, the Ecliptic Express' former passengers rose in all their nightmarish glory.

"Jesus." Aiken breathed.

Bloodied mangled faces, torsos and limbs with pieces of debris impaled into various parts of their bodies and organs, some even connecting one creature to another; together with the blazing inferno, it was a vision from hell itself. Rising to their mangled feet, they shuffled along, uncaring for their conditions. Those that possessed either broken or dismembered limbs would crawl or writhe along the floors toward them. The worst were those that walked out fully ablaze. Far worse was their melting and blackening visages, along with the smell that accompanied them.

Rebecca pressed a pair of fingers onto the bridge of her nose while covering her mouth with the palm of her hand.

There came a loud explosion from behind the creatures, followed by a series of cracks. Torsos and heads spurted clouds of red, some of the latter even disappearing into bloody red mists.

"What's going on? Who's shooting?" Rebecca asked.

"Noone, the fire's causing the hidden ammunition onboard to discharge-" Marini was interrupted as something whizzed by and grazed his cheek, causing him to duck down, "HOLY SHIT! EVERYONE KEEP LOW AND RETREAT TO THE DOORS BEHIND US! THIS PLACE IS TOO DANGEROUS!"

"COME ON!" Forest shouted as he grabbed Rebecca's arm.

"BUT WHAT ABOUT KENNETH?"

"THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR HIM, WE NEED TO GO NOW!"

"I'M NOT LEAVING KENNETH!" Rebecca shouted as she struggled underneath his grip.

Despite her valiant attempts, she watched helplessly as she was dragged toward the door.


	14. Chapter Thirteen: Knee Deep

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Thirteen: Knee Deep**

Marini's intestines knotted together nervously.

In all of his days as a leader, be it for a platoon of Force Recon Marines or for a S.T.A.R.S. Team, there had never been a time where he had knowingly left a man behind. Having to do so now maddened the veteran to no end.

After he stepped through the doorway, he found himself near a ledge, looking down at a large pool of water. The walls were absolutely filthy, covered in grime and other stuff that he didn't even want to identify. Sniffing the air, his nose wrinkled with disgust. Clattering behind him, he watched the others step through, pushing him closer and closer toward the edge until Rebecca was roughly shoved in by Forest, forcing him to stumble off into knee deep water. Glancing down, his features warped into a scowl, confirming his suspicions of where they were.

'_How appropriate.'_ Came the bitter thought.

As if he hadn't been reminded enough of their situation, life just had to throw a curve ball; not only were they in the sewers, but he just stepped into what looked and smelled unmistakably like a very large turd, probably from a large dog.

'_I hope.'_ He prayed as he straightened himself up.

Looking back to Forest, he narrowed his eyes into a glare. Turning back to the medic, he saw a whirlwind of emotions written across her face, a mixture of anger, guilt, shame and determination.

"I need to go back!" She said.

"Rebecca-"

"Kenneth's still out there!"

"I know that, Rebecca, but there's nothing we can do." He said simply.

She was about to reach for the door when Forest grabbed hold of her.

"Let me go!" She exclaimed.

"Not gonna happen!" Forest replied.

Struggling relentlessly underneath his grip, she pulled away and twisted around to face Marini, panting angrily as she did so.

"We need to go back for Kenneth."

"There's nothing we can do, Rebecca." He repeated.

"So what, you're just going to do nothing?! For God's sake, he's injured, we can't just leave him like meat-"

"Don't you tell me how to do my job!" Marini snapped, causing her to flinch.

He watched as Rebecca's features faltered. There was now a look of desperation and anguish.

"Let _me_ go back, then." She said quietly, "Please."

"This conversation's over." Marini said stiffly.

"Why?"

"For one, I don't want to argue in a sewer, especially when I'm_ standing in fresh shit!_" Marini growled impatiently before turning away. "We'll continue this after we get out. Careful where you step."

* * *

><p>Rebecca opened her mouth to protest, but as Marini waded away, her eyes cast down in defeat.<p>

"Don't look so down, rookie. We'll come back for Kenneth." Aiken tried to assure.

Saying nothing, she gave him a doubtful look.

"Don't look at me like that." He replied. "We will find him."

"After how long?" She demanded.

Aiken was beginning to look impatient with her and was about to open his mouth when Coen interrupted, "Might I point out that your bickering is better for when we're on the surface? In case you haven't noticed, some of your comrades are bleeding and I don't think being in the sewers is going to help."

Rebecca felt heat rise to her cheeks. Part of her wanted to talk back, but when she tried to speak, she realized that he was right.

"I'm sorry." She said quietly in resignation, ashamed of herself.

Noone said a word as she turned toward the ledge, taking her first step into the cold murky water. Shivering in disgust, Rebecca slipped the other foot in.

'_This is so gross.'_ She thought to herself.

When she gets back to the Station, the first thing she's doing before going back home would be a long shower.

'_That is, if I do manage to get back.'_ Rebecca thought morbidly.

Shaking those thoughts aside, she looked over her shoulder, watching as the others followed her example.

"So help me, if I find a rat down here I'm going postal." Forest declared.

"On the rat or us?" Aiken asked half seriously.

To his, and Rebecca's, discouragement, Forest didn't bother to answer, adding much unneeded tension.

"We're falling behind, let's go." Coen said, ignoring the previous responses as he moved past the medic. She was thankful that he had, for right at the moment that he did so, everyone was in motion, including herself.

As she followed after them, she cast one final glance toward the door, hoping that Kenneth was still alive.

* * *

><p>Water sloshed around the group's legs as they treaded through, the sounds mixing with the constant drips and runoff that echoed inexhaustibly around them. Rebecca shivered as the cold water brushed against the skin of her legs.<p>

God it was so cold down here! Rubbing her hands together, she breathed onto her frozen fingers. With each exhalation, her breath came out in vaporous plumes. Peering her head around some of the others, she saw Marini up ahead, looking around.

'_I hope we find the exit soon, otherwise we might get hypothermia.'_ She thought to herself.

"I found an exit!" Marini called out.

Finally, now they can get out of this frozen hell hole.

"It's over here!" Marini waved, pointing to something. Squinting, Rebecca made out a slight indentation in the wall. In that small recess, her hopes of getting out elevated as her gaze followed the ladder upward.

"Any volunteers?" Marini asked.

"I'll do it." The medic said as she stepped forward.

Slowly creeping up the ladder, Rebecca kept her eyes focused on the wall in front of her, trying not to look down, her limbs trembling with a mixture of excitement and from the low temperature. Raising her hand up, she felt along for the ceiling's flat and smooth surface, hoping to find some sort of latch. Finding nothing, she gave a hard shove, causing it to flip wide open. She flinched as the cover fell back with a loud clatter, though was pleasantly surprised as warm air brushed against the skin of her arms. Pulling herself up, she glanced around, taken aback by her surroundings.

"Wha..."

Rebecca wasn't a specialist in matters relating to tunnel networks, nor was she involved with city planning, but whatever it was she had been expecting, it was certainly not the lush interior of a mansion. A floor checkered with an alternating pattern of black and white marble tiles, the room consisted of two separate levels with a column-supported balcony that encircled the entire first floor. Connecting the two levels was a long, red carpet-covered staircase with a slight landing that reached midway, the foot and top of which were illuminated by a pair of tripod-mounted torches that framed a massive portrait of an old man. Close to the walls were a collection of Victorian-styled chairs and oil landscape paintings. Peering at the latter, Rebecca tried to make out their content, but the poor lighting provided by the torches only had the effect of sucking all of the colors out from the canvases. Turning to look back at the foyer itself, she saw that the torch light hadn't just affected her perceptions of the paintings. The entire place was absolutely lifeless.

A slight creak made Rebecca look upward. Along with the swinging unlit form of a fancy chandelier, she spotted a fresco-covered ceiling, seemingly done in the style of the Sistine Chapel. Cherubs peered down mischievously from a soot-covered background, causing the medic to cringe and look away. Her eyes searched around. Was there anyone here?

'_Maybe we can get help.'_ Came the thought.

"Hello?" She called out loudly.

Silence.

"Hello?" She repeated.

The torches flickered and wavered off the walls. Nothing.

"Hell-"

"What are you doing?!" A voice hissed.

"Gaah! Ah!" Rebecca screamed, turning around to see Coen as he shushed her.

"Keep your damn voice down!" The convict said quietly.

"You scared me!" The medic said angrily.

"Shh!" Coen hissed, pointing to something on the floor as he whispered, "We're not supposed to be here."

Turning to see where he was pointing, Rebecca saw a distinctive symbol etched out on the floor close to the stairs. Moving toward it, her heart thumped as she read what was written.

"'Umbrella Research Center.'"

* * *

><p>William Birkin stared at the security monitor.<p>

"Who on earth are those people?" He wondered.

"The girl is a member of S.T.A.R.S." His companion replied, "A rookie."

"And the male?"

"I'm unfamiliar with him."

Before either could respond, a voice rang loudly from the old speakers.

"_Attention! This is Doctor Marcus." _It called out in a strong tone.

* * *

><p>The Bravos stiffened at the sound of the speaker.<p>

_"Please be silent as we reflect on the company motto. Obedience breeds discipline, discipline breeds unity, unity breeds power, power is life."_

* * *

><p>Turning his attention back to the screen, Birkin noticed more people had joined the pair. He tried to make out their features when all six monitors started to flicker. One by one, each channel flickered over to a young man with long brown wearing a white robe staring coldly at them.<p>

"What the-"

"Who are you?!" Birkin's companion demanded, cutting him off.

The man stared at them, his features cold and stiff.

"It was I who let the t-virus loose." He said calmly.

Birkin blinked with surprise.

"What?"

"You should see the wonders they've done to the mansion, especially the train." The man continued.

"Answer my question. Who are you and what do you want?" His blond companion growled.

"Just a ghost come back from a decade-old sleep." Came the ominous reply. From beside him, a strange growth rose to human height. From the growth, a face started to form, causing Birkin's heart to jump with a start upon recognizing the visage.

"Good Christ!" He cried out.

"Vengeance will be mine! Once I'm finished with you, Umbrella's-"

The man was cut off as all of the screens suddenly flickered off.

Birkin looked at the monitors perplexed.

"Did you just switch him off?" He asked.

"I didn't touch anything." The blonde man said beside him. He pressed at the monitors, then at the keyboards, but no matter what he did nothing worked.

"I don't understand. Was a fuse blown?" Birkin wondered.

His companion shook his head.

"No, someone else is involved."

* * *

><p>Enrico Marini stood in meditation as he glanced around at his new surroundings.<p>

'_Out of the fuckin' pan.'_ Came the wry thought as he and the others stared down at the Umbrella symbol.

"Well, isn't this great! We just got off from the express track from hell, waded through the sewers, and have now arrived at Satan's gaping asshole." Forest said sarcastically, "Absolutely fabulous. So what now?!"

The Bravo Captain gave a fixed glare of annoyance.

"First thing we need to do is to take stock of our inventory. Richard?"

"Well, we have couple of ammo clips for the MP.5s, but no MP.5s."

Marini scowled. Damn.

"Do you have any clips for your sidearm?"

Aiken blinked.

"Oh, I forgot about those." he said as he fished around in his pocket. "Yes, yes we do. One clip."

Marini sighed. It's a start, but it's not going to be enough, not if they planned on getting out alive.

'_Well, better than nothing.'_ Came the thought.

Looking over to the next Bravo, he prayed for better news. "Forest?"

"Good news or bad news?"

"Just tell me. No point pussyfootin'." He said with exasperation.

He watched as the weapons specialist hold up something. "Well, the good news is that I still have my left-over rounds for the grenade launcher. Problem is, no grenade launcher."

Marini shook his head. This was not what he wanted to hear.

The albino stepped forward.

"I found this on the table." he said, holding out a box full of handgun ammo.

Giving a nod of thanks, Marini passed the ammo box along, watching as hands snatched eagerly for the remaining rounds.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Wolf."

"I also found a typewriter and an ink ribbon if you're interested." the albino replied.

Marini raised an eyebrow.

"Why would we need it?"

"W-Well," the youth stammered, trying to find the right words, "...shouldn't we try to make a record? In the event that-"

He stopped speaking.

Marini nodded.

"That's actually a good idea. Go ahead and type it up." he ordered.

Giving a slight bow, the albino departed to the right of the staircase, over toward a table with a typewriter. Turning back to the others, Marini looked to the rookie.

"What about you, Rebecca?" he asked, "Do you still have ammunition?"

She nodded.

"I do, but not a lot." Marini was about to turn away when she continued, "Captain...what about Kenneth?"

The Bravo Captain sighed at her persistence in the matter.

Opening his mouth to address her, he was cut off by Coen.

"I'll go back."

Startled, the Bravos glanced over to him. Even Marini himself was surprised by his response. What was he up to?

"What? Were you expecting me to say something else?"

"Oh you would love for us to believe that, wouldn't you?" Aiken said venomously.

Coen narrowed his eyes.

"What's your problem?"

"My problem, _convict_, is that with your criminal record, I'm a little - no, _very_ concerned that you might have some funny ideas up there in that noggin, like say suddenly disappear or slip a shiv in our backs when we're not looking." Aiken retorted.

The convict scoffed.

"With all of these monsters everywhere, you think _that's_ the worst that could happen?"

"Shut up, both of you." Marini ordered. "This is neither the time nor the place, so whatever bullshit you're holding, drop it. We have more pressing matters at hand. Rebecca, I need you to treat any and all injuries on the double. We can't let any untreated wounds become infected, especially with t-virus present."

She gave a nod.

"Yes sir." Rebecca said as she went to work, taking off her backpack.

"The rest of you, I want all of your pockets checked for any spare clips or weapons until it's your turn."

Upon hearing that, everyone moved into action. Everyone, save for the albino. Turning to him, Marini was going to ask if he heard when he saw the youth's expression. Staring up from the foot of the stairs toward a landing with an extra pair of stairways leading up to the balcony, the albino's face was tense and nervous. What was especially noticeable, though, was the undeniable look of recognition.

"Mr. Wolf?"

Upon hearing his name, the albino twisted around at him with a jolt.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Are you alright? Is there something here you recognize or want to tell us?" Marini asked.

The albino stared at the stairs and the landing.

"It's nothing, it just felt like someone is walking over my grave." Came the short response.

Marini eyed him carefully.

"Did you use the typewriter yet?"

The albino shook his head.

"I was just going to do it." He replied.

"Then get to it. When you're done you should get out of those rags."

Giving him a short nod, the albino turned toward one of his suitcases, opening it up as he proceeded to unravel the mounds of clothing off from himself. When he was finished, he quickly trotted over to the desk and went to work.

'_He knows something.'_ Marini thought with certainty.

Whatever it was that he's hiding, it was somehow tied in with that style of staircase. Whether it signified involvement with Umbrella, Marini wasn't sure, but some way or another he will find out what the albino knows.

* * *

><p>Minutes passed as Rebecca began checking and treating injuries. The majority of the ones that she found were some minor cuts on their arms and faces that had needed to be wiped clean with gauze. Aside from some minor bruising, everyone that she had examined seemed to be in perfect health. Tying the final knot to a bandage, Rebecca looked up at her latest patient, feeling pleased that she was able to help.<p>

"Okay, that's it!" She beamed.

Giving a grunt of thanks, Forest wandered off with a look of relief.

Turning toward the desk with the typewriter, Rebecca eyed the one person - in fact, the _only_ person - to have refused her offer for a checkup and treatment.

"Are you sure that you don't want to be examined?" She asked. "If you have any cuts, I'll gladly help you."

Star nodded.

"I don't have any injuries. I'm perfectly fine, thank you." He replied, his tone stiff.

_'What are you hiding?'_ She wondered.

For a while, there were times when Rebecca felt she might have misjudged him, but ever since they arrived in the mansion, the albino was becoming increasingly squirmy.

Could he be an Umbrella creation?

Certainly, she had never heard of a condition such as his. Was there even such a condition?

She shook her head at the nonsense she was thinking. There has to be a reasonable explanation for his behaviour.

_'Maybe he's just creeped out by our new settings.'_ She thought reflexively.

If so, Rebecca would be able to understand, if not relate to what he was feeling; it was hard to feel comforted or comfortable in this place, not unless one was Count Dracula. The problem with Star, though, was that he was frustratingly obscure.

_'I wish he was more forthcoming.'_ Rebecca thought as she replaced the latex gloves with her regular pair.

Raising her hand up to wipe the sweat off from her forehead, she paused when her wrist brushed against leather. Looking down at herself, the medic flushed with embarrassment, realizing she still had some of the extra accessories, including Star's coat. She couldn't believe that she still had it on. Now she understood why she was feeling so warm.

'_I must have looked absolutely ridiculous!'_ Came the thought.

Scowling, Rebecca started to pull off the coat. She had just unwrapped the extra padding off from her shoulders when she felt something trickle from her forehead down to her cheek.

"Huh?"

Hearing that, the group turned to face her, their mouths open with awe.

"Oh fuck." Marini said under his breath.

Reaching up, she puzzlingly wiped the fluid away with her fingers and pulled them back down to see what it was.

Blood.

"Oh god. Oh god, what's happening?" She murmured.

She must have been cut by the glass at some point in the crash. As she stared at her blood-stained fingers, Rebecca began to feel to dizzy. The room spun around as she stumbled, trying not to fall. A pair of strong hands clasped onto her shoulders.

"It's okay." Star said.

"Lower her against the wall over there!" Aiken ordered.

Rebecca felt her arm loop around someone's shoulder, her vision becoming blurry as she felt her toes sliding against the ground, until find herself being carefully seated down in a semi-sitting position.

"Everything's going to be okay, Rebecca." Aiken said assuringly as Star opened one of his suitcases, taking out the gauze bandages. Slipping off her backpack from her shoulders, Rebecca held it out for the latter.

"Get the first aid spray and water out, you have to disinfect the injury." she said.

"Got it." He replied as he zipped it open.

Pulling out the following contents, Rebecca watched as he poured water onto a napkin that he pulled from his pocket and closed her eyes as he started to wipe her forehead. She heard the can rattle for a few seconds until there came a loud hiss, followed by a painful burning sensation that made her wince.

"OW! Ow!"

"My apologies, Officer Chambers."

Keeping her eyes closed, Rebecca felt the bandage being carefully wrapped around her forehead and tightened at the back. Opening her eyes, she saw Star looking at her with concern.

"Is that too tight, Officer Chambers?" He asked.

She smiled slightly in reassurance.

"It's fine." She replied. "I'm sorry about your shirts."

The albino stared at her, perplexed.

"No need to apologize, Officer-"

"Rebecca. You don't have to be so formal."

Star shrugged.

"It's a habit that I find hard to break." He said as he placed the shirts into his suitcase. Looking to Aiken, he queried, "May I have my clothes back?"

"You already got them." Aiken replied.

"He's talking about the ones ya still have, Ali Babba." Coen said with a cheeky smile.

Glancing down, Aiken scowled. Pulling them off, he tossed them indelicately to Star, who promptly proceeded to neatly fold them into the suitcase. As he zipped up, Rebecca looked over to Marini.

"So what do we do now?" She asked, "We still need to find Kenneth."

"As I said before," Coen spoke up, "I'm willing to go back."

"Like hell. I ain't letting you off so you could stab us in the back." Aiken said venomously.

Coen looked at him with irritation.

"Here's a newsflash, pal - I'm not interested in killing cops. I have no love for this merry little band. But, with that said, you can count me off the list. I'm better than that."

"Oh, absolutely. You're just a lowlife murdering scumbag responsible for the deaths of 23 civilians."

The comment made the convict stiffen and ball up his fists. The next moment, he stepped forward, causing Rebecca's heart to leap as Aiken and Marini reached for their sidearms.

"Give me an excuse, _convict!_" Aiken said dangerously.

"Shut up, Richard." The Bravo Captain hissed heatedly.

For a couple of tense seconds, Rebecca watched as Coen stood there, eying both Bravos intently before uncurling his fists. As he did so, Marini lowered his hand away from his holster.

"You can help us find Kenneth, but you're not doing it alone." He said in a neutral tone. Turning to the others, he continued, "We'll divide into two groups. Rebecca, when you're feeling better, I want you and Forest to search the rooms with Wolf. Salvage whatever you can find. Richard and I will go back with Coen to Kenneth."

Rebecca hesitated.

"Captain, why aren't I coming along?" she asked.

"It would be too dangerous, plus you still need time to recover."

"Captain-"

"Rebecca, we got this. If one of us needs medical attention, you'll be the first to know." Marini said confidently as he and the others went back to the sewer entrance.

Rebecca wanted to protest, but her voiced died down along with their sinking torsos as they descended back down the ladder. Watching them depart, she uttered two pitiful words of encouragement. Hearing them spoken, though, they sounded empty as they left her mouth,

"Good luck."


	15. Chapter Fourteen: Exploration

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**NOTE: HUGE thanks to NaiveWriter (aka Multifreak on Deviantart) for creating a real kick-ass cover. Thank you! :)**

**Chapter Fourteen: Exploration**

Tick tick tick tick.

Rebecca winced as she tried blocking out the incessant clicks of the typewriter keys. Adjusting her position on the wall near the front doors, she looked over to Star.

"Are you almost finished?"

"Just a few more sentences," the albino replied.

Forest scowled.

"For Christ's sake, what are you writing?!" He demanded, "We don't have the time for an autobiography."

To Star's credit, he maintained his composure and kept on typing.

Looking over to Forest by the foot of the stairs, she watched as he paced about, stopping every now and then to check and recheck his weapon in an annoyingly repetitive manner. When he turned toward the stairs and looked upward, his body froze and stiffened.

Raising her eyes curiously to the balcony on the second floor, Rebecca squinted, but was unable to find anything out of the ordinary.

Had he seen something, perhaps someone move up there?

She opened to ask "What's wrong?", but stopped when there came a loud rip, drawing the Bravos' attention back down to the floor they were on. Turning to the source, Rebecca watched as Star tore the paper out from the typewriter.

"Finished." He called out.

"Finally!" Forest exclaimed.

"So what did you write?" Rebecca piped up.

Moving toward her, Star kneeled down and held the page out in offering. Taking it from his gloved hand, she started to read.

"It's basically a crude summation of what we were experiencing. I would have written more, but as you can see the ink ribbon hardly had enough to allow for it." The albino explained, eying her with concern, "How are you feeling?"

Rebecca gave a slight smile.

"Better. Thank you for asking." She said as she gave the page back.

"Are you able to walk?"

"I can manage." Rebecca assured.

Giving her a nod, the albino straightened himself, slipping the lush red coat and hood back on. Looking over to Forest, Rebecca stared questioningly.

"So, what now?"

"Let's start with the front doors here." He replied.

Turning to look at the ones he had been indicating, Rebecca shook her head.

"We can't, look at it."

On both sides of said-doors, a pair of knight sculptures had their swords crossed over them, effectively blocking the entrance.

"How do we get past _that_?" Rebecca pointed.

"It's not that complicated, rookie," Forest drawled as he moved toward the swords.

Slipping one of his gloved hands onto the other side of one of the blades, he gave a loud grunt of exertion. Turning around, he eyed Star.

"Hey Pasty, help me out here!" He demanded.

Rebecca tensed as the albino's eyes narrowed underneath his hood.

"Don't call me that." He said in a low voice.

"Just get your ass over here and help me!"

Without saying a word, Star did as he was instructed, followed by Rebecca.

'_Might as well make myself useful.' _Rebecca thought as she took up a position behind Forest.

"Okay, on a count of three. One, two, THREE!"

The survivors grunted and groaned as they pushed upward.

Nothing.

Even with her added strength, it made no difference.

"Alright, let's try it from different angles." Forest suggested.

The trio tugged and pushed from various sorts of positions for ten minutes, but no matter the effort, the swords remained in place. Backing away in defeat, Rebecca panted as she rubbed at her sore arms and hands.

"If only we had some C4." Forest muttered.

"Couldn't you use those grenades?" Star asked.

The weapon specialist scoffed.

"If I had a grenade launcher." Came the dismissive reply, his voice laced with contempt.

"But couldn't you use the grenades on their own, maybe use something to trigger them? Like the way the fire had affected the leftover ammunition on that train-"

"I ain't fuckin' MacGuyver, dickhead!" Forest snapped, causing him and Rebecca to flinch, "Besides, I lost my lighter."

Rebecca eyed the swords.

"Do you think we can shoot them off?" She wondered, "Maybe if we shoot the grenades we could trigger an explosion-"

"Like. Hell. I ain't sacrificin' my ammo. You want to waste your bullets on these sculptures, be my guest."

"She was only asking a question." Star said irritably.

"I wasn't talking to you, freak."

The albino narrowed his eyes angrily, his mouth pressing into a tight line, the leather of his gloves becoming audibly taut against his knuckles as they tightened into fists. He took a step forward, causing Rebecca to step between them.

"Wait, wait! Star don't!" Rebecca said, raising her arms, attempting to placate him.

Glancing down to her, then back to her coworker, Rebecca watched as the anger changed into a look of hurt. Lowering his head so that the hood covered his eyes, he spoke in a quiet and strained voice, "That was completely uncalled for."

"Spare the lecture on civility for someone that cares, I ain't in the mood. Let's pick a door and find the mechanism to get this bastard open!" Forest growled as he started moving towards the single door at the left of the staircase. Turning around, he looked at them expectantly. "Well? You two comin' or what?"

Without even saying a word, the albino went back to collect his suitcases when Rebecca touched his arm.

"Leave them here, you'll strain your back otherwise." She said.

Staring at her for a moment, Star gave a slight nod before turning toward the door.

Following after them, Rebecca waited as the door creaked loudly open, revealing complete and total blackness.

Flicking the light on their sidearms, the Bravos raised their weapons as they entered. One by one, the trio slipped into the dark, closing the door behind.

* * *

><p>William Birkin smacked at the monitor.<p>

"Come on, work!" He demanded.

His companion sat comfortably beside him.

"Piece of shit, work dammit!" Birkin roared as he gave one hard slap to the hard drive.

To his joy, the monitors flickered back to life.

* * *

><p>Back in the hallway, Rebecca and the others whipped around in confusion as a lamp lit up.<p>

* * *

><p>Birkin proudly clapped his hands together.<p>

"Ha ha! YES! What did I tell you, Al? Did I fix it or did I fix it?!"

"Yes, you did." His companion said in a low sarcastic voice, pressing into the microphone repeatedly, "Communications are still down."

"We have another problem." Birkin said, pointing to the screen, "Who are those two with the girl?"

"I recognize him. Another S.T.A.R.S. member. The other one I don't know."

"Look at the size of him. He must be as tall as one of our specimens!"

The blonde man stared at the monitor, ignoring his comment.

* * *

><p>Rebecca had no idea whether to be thankful or perturbed by the light's sudden glare. On the one hand, she was thankful for being able to see where she was going. On the other hand, though, she was in an Umbrella Research Facility, meaning that there were probably any number of security devices or...traps...<p>

She stopped.

Had they unknowingly activated a trap?

"W-wait!" She stuttered, causing the others to turn back and stare at her.

"What?" Forest demanded.

"I think...I think we need to go back."

"Oh God," Forest rolled his eyes, "don't tell me that you're too chicken to-"

"I think we're heading into a trap."

The two men stiffened upon hearing that.

"What makes you so sure?" Star asked.

"It's just...the light. Isn't it a little too convenient that the moment we entered that it just suddenly came on?"

Forest folded his arms together.

"So what do you suggest we do?"

Rebecca opened her mouth, but the will to speak left her. For the first time since arriving, she was scared stiff.

"Well, we're waiting!"

The medic looked down in defeat.

"Never mind." She said quietly.

Letting out a scoff, she watched as Forest looked away from her and disappeared around the corner. She heard a loud creak, followed by fading footsteps.

'_How pathetic.'_ She thought disdainfully.

"Are you alright?"

Looking up, she saw Star eying her with concern.

"I said are you alright?" Star repeated.

Rebecca nodded.

"Yes, I'm fine." She replied. Moving past him, Rebecca followed after Forest, too embarrassed and ashamed of herself to meet Star's gaze. "Come on."

* * *

><p>When the door creaked open, the hairs on the back of Rebecca's neck stood on end, and her nose wrinkled as a cold rancid blast of air hit her in the face. Backing away with a slight gasp, she clasped her hand around her nostrils, trying not to vomit from the awful smell. Stepping back into the hallway outside, Rebecca took a couple of breaths.<p>

"Just give me a second," she said to Star just when he was about to speak.

After drawing a couple of slow breaths, Rebecca gave a nod.

"Okay, I think I'm ready to go back in."

Straightening herself, Rebecca held her breath as she opened the door again. Greeting her was the dimly lit interior of a men's restroom, but it was in complete disrepair and looked like it hadn't been used in years.

'_And based on the smell, I'm guessing that the plumbing is busted. Either that or it's flooded.'_ She thought sickly.

Shuddering at the idea, Rebecca looked over to a long mirror to her left. Looming over a filthy counter with a couple of sinks of equally disreputable quality, part of the room was captured in its reflection. What surprised her the most, though, was how different the girl in the mirror looked at this exact moment compared to when she had been back at home; when she had left, she wore makeup and lipstick. Greeting her in the mirror now was a parody of that person; her clothes wrinkled and stained, Rebecca saw the eyes and face of a terrified child with a bandage wrapped around her forehead.

So much for trying to make a good impression.

Letting her gaze drift away, Rebecca saw a series of urinals ahead of her, some of them missing pipes and having cracks on parts of the porcelain. On the walls and on parts of the missing-tiled floor not covered by the elegant red carpet, all manner of grunge could be found, be it molds or spiderwebs.

"How long do you think this place has been around for?" Star asked.

Rebecca glanced over in his direction, but his face was unreadable. Was he trying to cast off suspicion?

"I don't know." She replied, placing a hand on her chin, "I wonder who built this place."

"Do you think the builders could be found back in town?"

"Unlikely." Forest spoke up.

Upon hearing that, the albino stopped his questioning, looking around with discomfort.

Glancing around, Rebecca cringed.

What else was Umbrella hiding?

There were secrets within these cracked walls, all right - it felt as if the walls themselves were ready at any moment to give way in the same manner that a swollen whitehead would at the slightest touch.

"How long do you think this place has been abandoned for?" Star wondered aloud, finding his voice again.

"It's hard to say," Rebecca replied. "Months, years perhaps."

The ancient and filthy tiles cracking under each step, Rebecca saw Forest's form stiffen as he neared the mirror's edge.

"Forest what-"

"Shh!" The weapons specialist hissed, pointing to his ear.

At first, Rebecca wondered what had him spooked, but when she stopped to listen, she heard it.

Squeak, squeaaak. Squeak, squeaaak.

Could it be a survivor?

Raising his sidearm, Forest moved around the corner to the right, followed by Rebecca.

Squeak, squeaaak. Squeak, squeaaak.

Sided along the far wall were four washroom stalls, their doors constantly shifting, causing them to creak each time they moved.

'_That was it?'_ Rebecca puzzled.

One by one the stall doors were opened. By the time she pushed open the final door, a feeling of both relief and disappointment crossed her features. The place was completely empty. Nothing could be found, save for broken toilets.

"Looks like someone tried to make camp here or somethin'," Forest said from beside her.

"What makes you say that?" Rebecca asked.

The weapons specialist pointed to something on the floor in front of the stalls.

"See that?"

Looking to where he was pointing, Rebecca saw a couple of empty bottles, along with a red gas can. She shifted uncomfortably.

How could she have missed them?

She watched as Forest bent down onto one knee and picked up one of the bottles. Placing his nose over the bottle's opening, he gave it one sniff before placing it back down.

"Nothin'. Whoever set up camp here is long gone." he commented.

Twisting around, the Bravos had taken no more than a few steps toward the mirror's edge when Rebecca saw something in the mirror, sloshing behind the unsuspecting Star.

"BEHIND YOU!" she cried out.

Turning around, the albino jerked back as long whip-like arms wrapped around his throat. Struggling underneath the thing's grip, the albino wriggled around, trying to get loose as she and Forest took aim. Just as she was going to press down on the trigger, the thing's featureless head started to mold itself, like plasticine in the hands of a skilled sculptor, to form a vague outline of a face.

"Wha-"

She was cut off as Forest fired off several rounds into the thing's head, causing it to stumble and let go of its prey by the fifth shot.

"LET'S GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE!" Forest roared.

No sooner had the words left his mouth that everyone bolted for the door, just right when the thing cracked its neck back into place. The moment they entered the hallway again, Star slammed the door behind them when Forest gave a startled yell as he attempted to get back to the mansion entrance.

"Not this way! Not this way!" He cried.

Rebecca opened her mouth to ask why when she caught sight of a second rubbery monstrosity blocking the entrance, heading straight for them! Twisting around, her heart beating hard within her ears, Rebecca turned to her left and continued down the hallway toward a moonlit window when she caught sight of movement.

"FOREST, LOOK OUT!" She cried as she raised her sidearm.

BLAM!

The startled discharge from her weapon shattered the glass, causing her coworker to stagger back in surprise.

"IDIOT! THAT WAS A REFLECTION!" He shouted to her as they rounded the corner to their right again toward a door.

Rebecca had no time to reflect on her mistake; she was more focused on the thing lurching behind them.

"Oh no, not now!"

"What?" Rebecca asked.

"The fucking door's locked!" Forest said tensely.

Turning around, Rebecca fired at the rubbery hellspawn. Round after round penetrated its strange hide, but the creature wobbled undeterred toward them with a clumsy and floppy gait, closing the distance between them. It was now ten feet away.

The door rattled as Forest repeatedly slammed into it with his shoulder.

Nine feet.

"FOREST!"

"GIVE ME A FUCKING BREAK!" The weapons specialist said as he and the albino slammed into the wooden frame repeatedly.

Eight feet.

Rebecca could see the thing's torso wobbling about unsteadily, reminding her of those inflatable clowns from those air-filled bounce houses at carnivals.

"OPEN, MOTHERFUCKER!" Forest demanded before shooting at it.

Seven feet.

Rebecca had just used up the last of her ammunition.

"I-I'm out."

"So am I." Forest said darkly.

Upon hearing that, the albino closed his eyes and exhaled through his nostrils as he removed the swords from the scabbard on his leg.

"What are you doing?!" Rebecca asked.

Saying nothing, he raised his swords and started to lower himself into a fighting position.

"WAIT! STOP! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!?" She demanded angrily, grabbing him by the arm. Pulling it away, he gave her a cold look before lifting his eyes back to his opponent.

When the creature took a step forward, the albino let out a sharp yell as he charged forward with frightening speed and slammed both fist guards into its chest, causing it to stumble back.

"NOW!" Forest shouted.

The Bravos took advantage of its lack of balance, running around it as it tried to readjust its footing. Rebecca's feet practically flew off from the carpet as she and the others rounded the corners back to where they came. The moment the doors to the mansion foyer opened, they wasted no time slipping through.

"BLOCK THE DOORS!" Forest ordered.

The trio moved in different directions, grabbing whatever they could find as the thing pounded on the wood. Chairs were stacked, cabinets were moved, even paintings were pulled straight from the walls themselves to be lined up against the door frame. Pushing themselves against the door, they waited until the pounding ceased. Rebecca's heart thundered against her rib cage, her face damp with perspiration as she looked to the others. After ten whole minutes of silence, they pulled away.

Turning to face Star, Rebecca narrowed her eyes.

"What were you thinking pulling a stunt like that?!" She reprimanded.

"I don't see why you should be angry with me, Officer Chambers." He said calmly.

"I have plenty of reasons for being so! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"It was necessary."

"Why?!"

The albino remained silent for a moment. When he spoke, what he said took Rebecca and Forest by surprise,

"To give you two a chance."

"What if you had been killed?" She asked in a calmer tone.

"It wouldn't have mattered."

"What do you mean by that?!" Rebecca demanded.

"Do I really need to explain myself?" Star asked.

"It would be a start!" She retorted.

The albino narrowed his eyes, making the medic shrink.

"To quote you back on the train when we first met, my reasons are my own." He replied with a slight edge in his tone before turning away.

"Where are you going?" Rebecca asked.

"I'm going to check the other rooms." The albino explained.

"On your own?" She said doubtfully.

"I think it would be for the best - it will minimize the amount of time we spend searching throughout this place."

"People who say that in horror movies usually die off just moments after saying so." Forest replied.

Star narrowed his eyes upon hearing the callous comment.

"Well, I'm glad to know that one of us is taking this lightly." He said with a hint of sarcasm before softening his gaze, "I pray that you and the others will get out alive."

After he collected his bags, the albino turned around and headed toward the double doors on the opposite side of the room.

"Star!" Rebecca called out.

The doors' creaking called back in reply, followed by a click as they slid back into their frame.

"Let's go." Forest said as he turned toward the stairs.

"What about Star?" She asked, "We can't just leave him, he could get hurt or killed!"

"And pray tell, how would we able to defend ourselves?! We don't have any ammo, and I'm not in any mood to wrestle with the undead!" Forest snapped back.

Rebecca frowned.

"I wasn't going to suggest 'wrestling'. We don't have to fight them, not if we're smart about it and take steps-"

When Forest got to the landing, his figure froze.

Rebecca blinked.

"Forest?"

He didn't respond. Moving to where he stood, Rebecca saw him staring stiffly at the massive portrait in front of them.

"What's wrong?"

"I saw him." He whispered.

Rebecca furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Who?"

"_Him_! The creepy old fuck in the painting!"

"What?" She said with surprise. Looking over to the aged portrait, she scrutinized its contents.

Bordered by a dull brown frame with leafy decorations, the subject was an old man with strong patrician features - a wrinkled narrow face, a tight round jaw, a wide forehead with a receding silver hairline - dressed in an old-fashioned brown suit and yellow tie. Staring out at the viewer with a pair of cold gray eyes while in a three-quarter pose that indicated strength and integrity, an inscription was stenciled down at the bottom of the frame.

_The first general manager, Dr. James Marcus._

"When did you see him?" Rebecca quietly asked.

"Back on the train, when I went to find Coen. He was there, just right before he became one of those rubbery fuckers!"

"Are you sure it was him?"

"It's hard to forget a face like that, especially when he started to mold himself from leeches."

Rebecca's eyes widened.

"He _molded himself from leeches_?" She parroted with disbelief.

"Yeah! I've never seen anything like it!"

Rebecca stared into his eyes, completely at a loss for words.

"What do you think?"

She frowned, crossing her arms.

"I don't know." She said.

"Come on, you must have somethin'!"

"I don't!"

"Aren't you supposed to be one of those brat geniuses? You must have some idea of what to make of this."

Rebecca glared at him, but held her tongue. Lowering her chin, she looked down thoughtfully. "As far as I know, leech behavior mainly consists of feeding, breeding, sitting, swimming, and...well, that's about it! Aside from mating, I don't think leeches even have a social dynamic! For a swarm to suddenly work together, to form a body like that, it would require not only communication, but also coordination, which indicates that there must be some form of swarm intelligence. What makes me especially nervous, though, is that they specifically chose a _human_ frame. For the most part, humans and human blood aren't the typical food source. Usually they feed on small invertebrate animals that they would eat whole."

"So what, you think that the virus not only made them smarter but also that Umbrella-" Forest cut himself off, paling along with Rebecca at the various possibilities that came to mind yet were never voiced.

"I-I don't know, Forest," the medic said in a shaky voice, "Maybe I'm wrong in my assumptions, but I don't know."

It took a while for either person to find the strength to speak.

"But why take on his image?" Forest recovered.

Rebecca shrugged.

"As a lure, perhaps?"

"Could that mean it could _impersonate_ us?"

The Bravo medic paled at the idea.

'_Why did I even open my big fat mouth?!'_ she wondered before finding her voice, "I-I don't know, I hope not."

She turned around.

"Where are you going?" Forest demanded.

"I need to warn Star! He needs to know-"

"What makes you so sure that he's ignorant of this? Hell, the guy's probably not even human! Why would you wanna save him?"

Rebecca stopped.

"I don't know if he is or not, but Captain Marini ordered for me to keep an eye on him and find out what he knows. If he dies, we'll potentially lose the only witness that will be able to testify against Umbrella."

She let the words sink in. After a few minutes, he gave a nod.

"Alright, go on. I'll check the rooms up here. Be careful."

Nodding back, the medic descended back down and followed after the albino.

* * *

><p>"KENNNNEEEEEEETH!"<p>

"KENNETH?!"

"KENNETH!"

Enrico Marini frowned. Where the hell did Sullivan go?

After they dispatched the surviving undead from the train, Marini and company had tasked themselves with finding the lost Bravo.

Marini placed his hands together around his mouth, "KEEEENNNNNEEEEETH!"

The Bravo's name echoed repeated across the tunnel.

He heard a muffled groan.

"I think I found him!" He cried out.

Moving his feet as quickly as he could across the scattered debris, he ran to the source, only to find a crippled zombie, a teenager no older than fifteen wearing a shredded black BackStreet Boys t-shirt and jeans, devoid of limbs, writhing around like a worm.

He shook his head.

"False alarm." He said.

Raising his foot up, he stomped down onto its head, hearing a loud crunch under his boot. He kept stomping until the damned thing stopped its pitiful wriggling. When he finished, he pulled away and exhaled through his nostrils, his mouth tightening into a grimace.

"It's unnerving how easy it is to be indifferent to these things when you're killing them." Aiken said beside him, shaking his head.

Neither Marini nor Coen replied. In fact, the former himself had been thinking the exact same thing. Sure, he had done his fair share of killing as a Marine, but this was too fucked up, even for a hardened veteran like him. Part of him started to wonder what his family would think of him the moment he came back and told them all that he went through.

_Should he?_

He paused in his thoughts.

'_No,'_ he decided. Family and misery are not company that should be kept in the same room, and the last thing either his wife and daughters needed to hear were horror stories of the most terrible variety.

"Do you think he's been crushed under the debris?" Aiken spoke up again.

"God, I hope not."

"Well, where else could he be?"

"Good question." Marini muttered.

Every accessible inch of this area had been checked and rechecked repeatedly for some sign of Kenneth.

"Could he be somewhere on the other side of these cars?" Coen asked.

The Bravo Captain grunted.

"Maybe."

It was possible that the din of the fire made it impossible for all to hear each others' cries, but there was no way of knowing for certain.

Moving toward the rear of the train, the trio had planned on checking the other side, but they stopped when they realized that most of cars have stacked up along the wall. Just when he was about to turn away, Coen stopped him.

"Wait."

Puzzled, he watched as the convict pointed to something that hung on the rear deck wall. Something that looked like a gun.

His feet trampled across the ruined concrete, hands eagerly reaching out to claim their prize. When he came closer, Marini squinted, taking in its design. In appearance, it looked like a harpoon gun. Black in color, it had a long sleek barrel with a cylinder attached halfway. From this cylinder, a long cord was extended and connected to a four-pronged hook at the end of the barrel. On the wall next to it was a pamphlet, outlining where and how to use it. Marini muttered to himself as he read it word per word.

"Why the fuck would anyone have _that_ on a train?!" Aiken demanded.

"According to this, it's called a "hookshot". Used for connecting trains and for inspecting difficult-to-access car roofs." the Bravo Captain murmured.

"Bullshit!"

"That's what it says, Richard." he replied before taking hold of it. "I'm afraid we'll have to call off the search."

Aiken looked down with disapproval.

"I know, Richard, I know, but there's nothing more we can do now." Marini said.

There came a loud crack, causing the trio to turn toward the tunnel entrance.

"Let's get out of here, I don't want to spend a single minute more!"

As the survivors departed from the crash site, the tunnel flickered with flashes of pink light.

* * *

><p>'<em>Where has he gone?'<em> Rebecca wondered with irritation.

For someone who was over seven feet, the albino was surprisingly spry and elusive.

Currently, she was standing atop of a long balcony made of soaked ashen gray dry stone. Lined with cracked and broken Doric columns, it overlooked a portion of the mountains and the vast forested landscape. Though the storm had ceased in its assault, Rebecca was still able to see in the dim moonlight that it was far from finished. Looking far out into the horizon, she stared with a mixture of longing and weariness.

How far were they from Raccoon City?

'_And I had been so eager to leave that room.'_ she thought with distress.

When she had went through those double doors downstairs to follow after the albino with the intention of warning him, Rebecca found herself within a large dining hall. Greeting her were a pair of long tables with a series of fancy dishware laid out, but the disheveled arrangement of the tables, chairs, and dishes had told a story to her, a very bleak one. Whoever had been waiting for supper must have been caught by surprise. From the way the tables had been stacked together and positioned, it appeared that the people within this room must have been attempting to seal off the entrance.

It didn't take a genius to figure out what had happened then. Part of her, though, was somewhat puzzled; despite there being clear evidence of the room having been occupied, no bodies could be found.

'_Where did they disappear to?'_ She wondered.

While she had been somewhat relieved that there weren't any t-infected cadavers that needed to be dealt with, there was something too unnerving about the room's emptiness; the fact that she was the _only_ living thing within the room itself brought neither assurance nor comfort to the medic. Instead, it made her _even more_ aware of how alone and vulnerable she was, so much so that after several attempts to muster up the courage to call out Star's name she lost the will to do so and fled into the next room - a large and spacious storage area filled with various boxes, paintings and a wall-mounted ladder, which she had used to get to where she was right now.

Seeing the forested vista, it added further to that feeling of vulnerability; it made her realize how small and insignificant she and the others were compared to what they're facing. Even if they managed to find a way out of the mansion, they would still need to navigate their way off the mountain. Who knows how long it would take to reach civilization!

Rebecca shivered involuntarily.

Navigation aside, there were factors that had to be taken into consideration, such as supplies. Not only would her team need plenty of ammunition, but also food, water, and first aid kits. However, part of Rebecca felt a certain level of skepticism; even if she and her team were prepared enough to make a two to three day trek back home, if not longer, there was no guarantee that they'll be able to make it that far. With the t-virus running rampant, there's no telling how much of the area, let alone how much of the wildlife, has been infected.

'_Even if we escape, what then?'_ She wondered.

Obviously the next step would be to take down Umbrella, but what about the t-virus? How could it be contained? Can the State Health Department manage this on their own? Would the military have to be called in? These creatures were far too dangerous to be allowed into the city; there was no telling how many could become infected. Over a hundred thousand people lived within Raccoon City alone.

The medic squirmed at the idea of t-virus hitting the streets. How would the US government handle a city full of undead? Would they be able to contain it? What if they're unable to?

Rebecca shuddered as some morbid part of her started to ponder something - what would the world look like if humanity became extinct? What would an undead-populated world look like?

She frowned.

'_God, why would I even think of such a thing?'_ She thought with distaste.

Thoughts shifted over to Star. What would happen if he were to come back with them, assuming that he was infected? Would she have to kill Star in order to save a hundred thousand lives, if not more?

Her jaw tightened.

"No, don't think like that." She said to herself.

Pessimism wasn't needed, not now. People were relying on her.

Turning to her left, away from the moonlit scenery, Rebecca proceeded further down the balcony toward a closed door with a bolt lock. Moving closer, she saw that the bolt had been drawn back, a clear indicator that Star had been here.

Grabbing the door knob, she inhaled, then exhaled through her nostrils, mentally preparing herself, like one drawing a quick breath before taking the plunge into cold water, as it opened.


	16. Chapter Fifteen: Imminent Danger

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Fifteen: Imminent Danger**

**Note: Thanks to EcoSeeker247 for the title suggestion**

When Enrico Marini climbed up into mansion foyer with his companions, his jaw stiffened.

"Looks like they had some trouble." Coen murmured as he eyed the massively barricaded door.

Turning away from the sight, Marini's eyes narrowed onto something else.

Aiken's eyes widened.

"Please tell me that's what I think it is." He prayed aloud.

Positioned right at the foot of the stairs was the desk with the typewriter, but what caught the trio's attention was the outline of what looked to be a pump-action 12-gauge shotgun propped behind the typewriter itself.

Coen stepped eagerly forward.

"Hot damn! That's a Remington Model 870!" The convict said excitedly, "And would you look at that, there's a box of shells just sitting on the barrel like a bow! Looks like Christmas came early."

"I wouldn't get our hopes up." Marini replied, "We don't know if it's real or in working order. Let me take a look."

Stopping just in front of the typewriter, he carefully looked all around. Satisfied, he gave exhaled.

'_Okay, no sign of any traps, looking good. I hope this is the real deal.' _He prayed.

Ideally speaking, it would be great if the Remington was. With its seven round magazine and force, it would be more than enough to keep these zombie fuckers at bay. However, when it comes to firearms, one has to take precautions and check. Sometimes the original owners will try to alter the original weapon so that it became more of a wall decoration than a functional weapon by removing critical parts. What made Marini especially nervous was its condition; if the weapon was in too poor a shape, chances were that it either wouldn't fire or could potentially explode within the wielder's hands.

_Please God, don't let there be any problems._

Carefully moving the box of shells to the side, he was about to grab hold of the shotgun when something fluttered down to his feet.

"Huh?" He uttered, startled by the movement.

Looking down at his boots, Marini saw a piece of paper. Bending down to one knee, he picked it up with his right hand and started to read.

"'To my dear companions,'" he began aloud, "'To aid you, I have left some items that I found in a backroom near the dining hall. Feel free to make use of them. Yours sincerely, Star.'"

"Well, that was nice of him." Coen said.

"I don't think this was meant for us." Marini replied.

Convict and police officer shared a look of unease.

"Then who?"

Pocketing the letter, Marini straightened himself up.

"I don't know." He said as he dusted off his pants.

Turning back to the desk, Marini slung the hookshot's harness around his shoulders as he lifted the shotgun off from the table.

Beginning his examination, he first checked to make sure that the chamber was empty. Satisfied with that, he looked over its frame, noting how for the most part it was in pretty good condition, despite a few scratches in places. Lifting it up so that he took aim, Marini's trained eye looked down the barrel for any signs of dents or bulges while checking the stock fit in his grip hand to make sure that everything felt as it should.

"Okay, very good." He murmured.

He was about to check the stock when a door creaked audibly from the second floor. Quietly opening the box of ammunition, he grabbed a handful of shells, stuffing the rest down into his pockets. Once the weapon had been loaded, he cocked the pump.

Now he was primed for some action.

Raising the shotgun, he crept up toward the landing, followed by Aiken and Coen. Taking the stairs to the left, his aim faltered when he caught sight of Rebecca studying a statue of some woman holding a scale that looked directly over the landing itself. Turning around, the medic brightened upon seeing them, a look of relief flashing across her features.

"Captain!"

"You nearly had me there for a moment." He scolded.

A blush crept up the girl's face.

"Sorry about that, sir. It's good to see you."

"Same here. Where are the others? What happened?"

Rebecca sighed.

"Shortly after you left, we tried checking one of the rooms down there. There are...things, in there."

Marini raised a brow.

"What do you mean 'things'?" He asked.

She bit her lip.

"Well, they looked like people, but...the way they moved, it was so disgusting, like they didn't have any bones."

Marini and Aiken perked up with interest.

"Like the one we saw back on the train?" The latter asked.

"Yeah." She nodded.

"Did they harm you?"

Rebecca shook her head.

"No, we managed to get away."

From her tone, Marini was able to sense a 'but' coming on.

"And?" He pressed.

"After we escaped, Star suggested that we tried splitting up. He went off to check those doors down there." she said, pointing to a pair of double doors. "I tried to catch up with him, but he's disappeared."

Marini crossed his arms.

Damn.

He opened his mouth to respond when a shrill scream cut him off, shrieking repeatedly from one of the rooms nearby. Rushing to the nearest one, Marini yanked the door open. Upon doing so, he was nearly tackled by a badly wounded and bleeding Forest as he ran out the door.

"Jesus! Forest, what-" he was cut off as he heard fluttering. Turning to the source, he saw what could only be described as an approaching cloud of wings and beaks. "OH MY GOD!"

Marini slammed the door hard back into its frame, listening as dozens of loud caws echoed through the foyer.

"Follow me!" Rebecca cried out as she held a door open.

One by one, the survivors slipped past her. After making sure that all had been accounted for, Rebecca closed the door behind.

* * *

><p>While Rebecca tried to clean up Forest's injuries, the rest of the group silently eyed the door with grim anticipation. Currently they were in some sort of lecture room. No one dared to speak, partially for fear of summoning the attention and wrath of whatever was waiting for them out there. After fifteen minutes, maybe twenty, the silence was bravely broken by Aiken.<p>

"The fuck happened back there?" He asked in a quiet tone, "What were those things?"

"Crows."

The group looked over to Forest as he spoke, who stared back with haunted eyes.

"They were crows." He said in a flat and dead tone.

Rebecca paused in her work, her throat tightening at this news.

"They must have been infected with the t-virus." Marini surmised.

The moment the words left his mouth, a change came over the weapons specialist.

"_Infected?!_" He repeated.

All of the color drained away from his face, his lip trembling.

Rebecca raised her hands placatingly and spoke in a soothing tone, "Forest-"

"Those crows were _infected?!_" He repeated, his voice building with increasing hysteria.

"I don't think you have to worry about being infected."

"Really, ya don't say!" He said sarcastically, "Why are you so sure?"

"Well, you got me to treat those scratches as quickly as possible."

"That, and the fact that we don't even know if those crows were infected." Coen stated, catching everyone by surprise. "For all we know, they're just normal birds."

"Then why would they attack?" Marini countered.

The convict cooly regarded him.

"Stress can cause all sorts of strange behaviors in animals."

In illustration, he proceeded to tell them a story that he read in a newspaper while in Africa, of how during a civil war in the Congo a horde of baboons started to inexplicably attack a bus full of tourists.

Forest blinked. "Seriously?"

"True story."

Though strange, the answer seemed to help calm the Bravo's fragile nerves and collect himself.

'_How long will he able to keep it together, though?'_ Rebecca wondered worriedly.

* * *

><p>Watching Forest settle down, Marini nodded to Coen in thanks for providing damage control.<p>

Because of him, a crisis has been averted.

Looking around, Marini took everything in. Based on its contents, this was some sort of classroom or lecture hall. Bordered by a set of concrete rails, sixteen wooden desks were neatly divided by pairs into two rows at the room's center, while right ahead at the front was stage with a podium and a microphone, along with a pair of speakers at each corner.

Lit by a lamp at the far right hand corner on a table next to a typewriter as well as an overhanging modern chandelier, the brick walls were a light brown, though it was unclear if this had been its natural color. The same could be said of the floors - cream-colored tiles that were interspersed with what looked like black diamonds, which, in a very morbid way, complimented the nature of Umbrella rather well. Moving toward the podium with curiosity, Marini tapped the microphone to see if it work.

Nothing.

Looking to his left, Marini saw two doors behind the railings, one of which was locked with some ornate mechanism involving a pair of knight statues. Turning to Rebecca, he nodded to the other one without the statues.

"Did you check that door already?" He asked.

"No," Rebecca answered before pointing to the furthest one, "I just came in through that one over there. It leads to a balcony."

Shrugging off her backpack, Rebecca started to dig through, pulling out a pamphlet.

"I also found this on one of the desks."

Taking it from her, Marini fingered it curiously before opening it up.

"'Regulations for Trainees'." He read aloud.

"Sub-heading, how to become certified psychos." Aiken muttered.

Ignoring him, Marini continued, "'Training facility mission. This training facility will raise a new generation of model employees to serve the future of the Umbrella Corp. Applying the strictest and most rigorous training standards, this facility will, without regard for gender, race, or creed, produce only the best candidates to be the global future leaders of Umbrella Corporation. We look forward to the development of your leadership qualities.'"

"And a fine job they did!"

"'Training facility guidelines,'" Marini interrupted, "'Discipline. Obedience. Unity. These are the basic principals that govern Umbrella Corporation employees, and are considered to be the law of this facility. Keep those words in mind at all times. Devote yourselves to your training, and bring honor to yourselves and the corporation. James Marcus, Director, Umbrella Corporation Management Training facility.'"

Aiken shook his head. "Christ, these people speak as if Umbrella is some sort of holy sect, especially this Marcus guy."

"Makes you wonder what happens to those who break Umbrella's 'unity'." Coen commented.

The Bravo Captain nodded in agreement. "It does."

Rebecca looked at each man, horrified.

"You can't be serious! They wouldn't just-"

"I'm not saying anything, Rebecca," he replied as he pocketed the pamphlet, "With that said, though, I wouldn't rule anything out either."

"So what's our course of action?" Coen asked.

"Can I make a suggestion, Captain?" Rebecca asked.

"By all means." Marini nodded.

"I think we should take a look at the statue outside this room."

The Bravo gave her a puzzled glance.

"Why?"

"Could you humor me?"

Marini frowned.

"Rebecca, now isn't the time for art appreciation." he replied.

"I just want to check something. Just one minute. Please?" she pleaded.

Marini scowled.

"Fine."

* * *

><p>Moving back onto the foyer balcony, Rebecca walked around the statue, running a hand on the smooth marble surface, checking for anything that felt like a switch. Moving to the front of it, she smiled.<p>

"Captain, I think I found something!" Rebecca exclaimed.

Marini and the others looked at her eagerly.

"What is it?"

"Take a look at what's written across the base here." She said, pointing to an inscription at the foot of the statue.

Marini came over and read it aloud, "'When good and evil are brought into balance, a new path will be opened to you.'" Raising his eyes back up to her, he gave her a quizzical look. "What about it?"

Rebecca sighed.

"It could be that I'm reading too much into it, but do you think it's possible this could be some sort of elaborate mechanism for unlocking those doors?" she asked.

The Bravo folded his arms.

"Doubtful," he said cynically before adding, "_but_, stranger things have happened tonight. So what do we use?"

Rebecca shrugged off her backpack.

"Well, we could use something that we have to balance the scales."

It was now Aiken's turn to frown.

"But we barely have enough to sustain ourselves. It's a wonder we haven't encountered any more infected."

A loud creak from the right caused her and the others stiffen. Twisting around, Rebecca watched with relief as Star emerged from a brown door located on the far right close to the corner, carrying along his suitcases. Seeing them, he blinked in surprise and gave a nod in greeting.

"Good to see you." Star said as he set his bags down. Bending down, he started to snap open the locks.

"Where were you?" Marini asked suspiciously.

"I was checking the other rooms." He replied as he shuffled around in his bag, "I wasn't able to find any sort of switch, but I did find this."

Upon saying that, the albino produced a grenade launcher, causing Coen to whistle and Forest eye it like a kid at a toy store.

"Well well well, what _have_ we here?" The Bravo said with a gleam.

Rebecca watched as Star held the weapon out in offering before it was eagerly scooped up by Forest. Studying it with the attentiveness of a jeweler, she saw the excitement in her coworker's trembling hands. In a way it seemed downright pitiful; it was like watching a man that had been deprived of water for so long suddenly finding a drinkable spring.

"An ARWEN-37...where did you find this?" He asked excitedly.

"I found it on a couch in some sort of study."

Forest scoffed.

"Well this is definitely what I would call a conversation piece, alright." He said as he checked to see if it was loaded.

Giving them a slight nod, the albino closed his bag, flicking the locks back on silently before straightening himself and turning away, bag in each hand.

"Where are you going?" She asked.

"To check these other rooms."

"You might want to reconsider that."

"Why?" Star asked with his back facing the group's direction.

"We found the switch."

Craning his neck around, the albino looked at her over his shoulder.

"You have?"

"Yes, but your help would be much appreciated."

Turning around so that he faced her, the albino tilted his head to the side.

"What is it that you wish for me to do?" He asked.

Rebecca gestured to the statue, "Do you see this?"

"Yes."

"We think that the scales act as some sort of weight-distributive-based lock mechanism for the doors down there. Could we use the contents of your luggage?" She asked.

The albino was silent for a moment, then gave a nod.

"Very well, on one condition, though; do not touch the journals." He replied.

Rebecca hesitated.

"What's in them?" She asked.

"They're of a private nature."

"I bet it's his stash of porn." Rebecca heard Aiken jokingly whisper to Marini.

Feeling her face flush, she closed her eyes and cleared her throat.

"Okay." She said as she looked back up.

Hearing that, the albino took twelve steps toward them, turning to his left at the fifth and proceeded until he stood beside the medic herself. For the next several minutes, the survivors were silent as they tried to carefully balance the scales. On several occasions, Forest let out a series of annoyed curses as they repeatedly failed and had to redistribute the weight for each bag over and over again. True to her word, neither she nor her team tried opening up the journals, though they were sorely tempting.

'_What could he possibly be protecting?'_ She wondered.

From the way Star was holding on to them, one would think he was holding some holy texts. By what had to have been the eight try, she heard a grating sound from over the ledge.

"Did it work?" She asked as she turned around.

"No, but take a look below." Marini said as he peered over the railing.

Moving to where he was, Rebecca looked down. To her surprise, Marcus' portrait had disappeared, leaving a black gaping doorway.

"What the?"

Rebecca stopped speaking as she and the others climbed down to the landing below. Standing right where the portrait had been, she shivered as a cool breeze escaped from it, causing the flames on the nearby tripods to flutter. Peering in, Rebecca was able to make out a long stairway leading to some dim lights, which illuminated what appeared to be some sort of basement. In contrast to the elegant Baroque architecture on this level, the basement was plain with concrete walls and flooring while different pipes and wires layered its grotesquely filthy walls.

"Well, I didn't expect this." Rebecca nervously said.

"No kidding." Coen replied.

She tried to find her voice again, but it was becoming difficult.

"What do you think we'll find down there?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Coen shrugged. "The Bat Cave?"

"Be serious."

"You're right, I should be thinking supervillain."

"Ha ha." Rebecca said sarcastically, though she had to admit he was on the mark.

"Enough." Marini interrupted.

Hearing the receding sound of footsteps, Rebecca turned around to see Star walking back up the stairs.

"Wait, where are you going?" She asked.

"I'm going to see if I can find the switch up here." He called.

"Even with everything we have seen, you still want to split up?" She said with disbelief. "There-there might be more of those...creatures, like what we had encountered in that washroom."

His tone remained neutral.

"I appreciate the sentiment, but I can manage on my own." He replied.

"Even when they can make themselves look like us?"

Turning around to face her, he gave her a curious look.

"What do you mean?"

As Rebecca spoke, she felt everyones' eyes on her, "According to Forest those creatures aren't just some variant of zombie, they're literally _walking leech colonies_! Somehow the t-virus has granted the leeches some advanced form of swarm intelligence to collectively organize themselves into a humanoid shape! They even managed to replicate the features of the man that ran this facility, Dr. Marcus!"

The group stood still as what she said sank in.

"So, what...these things are _mimicking_ us or something?" Coen asked with uncertainty.

The medic glanced down.

"I don't know any more than you do," she said, "which is why I think we should remain by each others' sides at all times."

The albino gave her a considerate look, then turned away.

"I appreciate your concern and your advice, but I can manage on my own." Came the reply.

Rebecca frowned. How can a person be so damn stubborn?! "Wait."

He continued undeterred, infuriating her to the point that she started to climb up after him.

"Don't you just turn away from me!" She snapped.

The albino paused, now mere inches from the door.

"Did you even hear what I said?!" She said with frustration, "This isn't the time for heroics or for massaging egos! Whether we like it or not, we need each other more than ever now if we're going to live to see tomorrow!"

"This has nothing to do with ego." He said without turning.

"Then why are you refusing to cooperate?!"

"But I am."

Rebecca repressed the urge to growl. Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled slowly.

"Why are you so eager to get away from us?" Marini butted in.

Upon hearing that, Star stepped toward the balcony with surprise, "Come again?"

"Ever since we came here you've been acting funny, and frankly, I'm tired of playing these bullshit games with you."

"I'm not playing any game-"

"Then why aren't you being straight with us?!" Rebecca hotly demanded, "What are you trying to hide?!"

The albino's brows knitted with confusion.

"'What am I hiding'? What is that supposed to mean?" He asked.

When she didn't answer, he looked to the others as they climbed up toward him.

"What is she talking about?"

"How about you quit the act now, Pasty." Forest said. "The jig is up."

"What act?"

Forest gave him a condescending look.

"Do I really have to spell it out for you?" When he didn't receive an immediate answer, the Bravo shook his head, "Very well then; R-A-T."

Looking down at his own frame, apparel and glove-covered hands as if to illustrate how ludicrous the notion seemed, the albino lifted his eyes back to Forest, raising a brow upward.

"You believe me to be a spy?" He said with a deadpan tone.

"Maybe not a spy, but it makes me wonder how many people have a condition like yours."

Upon hearing that, the albino's posture became rigid, his grip tightening on the journals. What surprised Rebecca was seeing the white skin pale even further at the suggestion.

"Well? Are you going to say anything?" Forest asked audaciously.

He turned away from them, staring straight ahead at the door.

"I pity you for your ignorance." He said in a glacial tone before addressing the others, "If any of you are certain of my being an orchestrator in all of this, then shoot me."

When he said that, Rebecca felt the air become thicker.

Warmer.

_'Warmer?' _Rebecca puzzled.

What in the world?

What was going on? Were they near some sort of heating vent?

Looking around, she tried to find the source, but was confounded by where this extra heat was coming from. There was a vent somewhere, that she was certain; Star's coat was proof that there was one concealed some place, for it fluttered and pulsed like it was alive.

"L-look, just calm down." Aiken said placatingly.

"Don't tell me to calm down." he said. Though his voice was hushed, his words and tone were like barbed wire. Turning slightly in Forest's direction, he continued, each word coming out slowly, as if trying to restrain the full blast of his anger, "I understand that you are afraid, but if you think for one moment that gives you the license for insults and insinuations, think again. I hated bullies on the playground and schoolyard since I was eight, and I tolerate them no better as a doctoral student."

The air around them was now becoming suffocatingly hot, but Star was seemingly oblivious to it, though how Rebecca was uncertain. Some of her fellow survivors backed warily away for some reason, but she remained still as he sharply flung the door open and glided through. After he had left, the air cooled around them.

"You really pissed him off. Way to go!" Coen said sarcastically.

"Bite me!" Forest snapped.

Aiken wiped his forehead.

"Jesus, where did that goddamn heat come from?" He asked.

Rebecca's feet moved on their own toward the door. The albino obviously knew something, and she was tired of waiting. Whether he liked it or not, now was the time for answers.


	17. Chapter Sixteen: Hierophant

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Sixteen: Hierophant**

**Music recommended during later part of story: Battle For The Sky - GOD OF WAR 2**

The first sensations that it felt was a curious tingling, followed by a sharp spike in temperature, a brief flash of pain, then an all encompassing coldness.

Though blind and incapable of abstract thought, the creature's primitive mind was still able to recognize the change in environment. For a while, it remained still, letting its body adapt to the cold. As it got more used to its surroundings, however, the creature felt more daring and explorative, allowing itself to drift with the current, guided by electrolocation. For a time, the drift was uneventful and left it at ease. That had ended when some of the indigenous species started to attack it. Some of them seemed slightly similar to the ones back "home", but even then it was still able to tell that these new beings were different in some unexplainable way. Despite all attempts to dominate and capture, their efforts were futile, for the Hierophant was a far superior predator than they were or ever could be. Unsatisfied with the kills, it turned away and allowed itself to drift. Down, further down it slid motionlessly with the current, with nothing but the cold accompanying it. Down, further down it had drifted, blissfully unaware and uncaring for how long; time was irrelevant. The only concern that it had was finding a suitable meal. For a time it remained stationary, allowing the drift to guide its direction when there came a sudden urge to swim, like its head was being pulled toward a single point in some distant location. It didn't know why it had to, nor did it try comprehending; it merely obeyed the electrode implanted into its brain and swam mindlessly on.

* * *

><p>Rebecca sighed with exasperation. For a seven footer, the albino treaded very lightly on his feet. After the door closed behind her, she found herself in a tight and narrow stone corridor with a semicircular arched roof that led straight to an upward staircase. At her right-hand side, just half way down the passage, though, was a wooden door. Curiosity getting the better of her, Rebecca cracked it open to peer inside. A study filled with lush furnishings and a crackling fireplace, it was a cozy-looking room, but Rebecca knew that it was merely a facade for whatever other horrors laid within. Once she was certain that Star wasn't in there, she quickly closed it shut, her attention now placed on the staircase as she began her climb.<p>

'_Please God, don't let there be more leeches or leech things.'_ She prayed.

When she got to the top, Rebecca blinked with surprise at what awaited. An ominous contrast to the study's warm and tranquil quality, what lay before her was a massive vaulted room with two pillars at the center. At the far corner to her left were four wall-mounted crank levers connected to a collection of chain-operated pulleys, all of which overlooked two slight concaves in the floor with a pair of large steel pipes that lay opposite to them. Letting her gaze trail upward from the pulley chains, Rebecca saw a collection of cages hanging from the ceiling, the torch light making the bars stand out like ribs.

'_What were these cages for?'_ She wondered.

They were very sturdy in appearance, and looked sizeable enough to contain some pretty large animals.

Were...were people put into these?

Rebecca blanched at the idea. Surely Umbrella weren't _that_ despotic.

The sound of a door closing made her jump with a start. Turning around so that she was looking at the opposite end of the room, Rebecca gave a sharp gasp; before her was a doorway that had been guarded by two more of those ornate knight statues, but the door and statues themselves had been completely ripped from their frames and pedestals.

She stared with a mixture of fear and astonishment.

What could have done this?

The sheer strength to tear into stone and steel alike was remarkable! It was like a bulldozer had gone through here!

'_Did...did Star do this?'_ She wondered.

No, she needed to pull herself together; she was letting paranoia get to her. Noone could possibly be that strong!

'_Still, it's possible that Umbrella did something to him.'_ Part of her whispered.

Rebecca began to regret having gone off by herself. In retrospect, it was probably the most impulsive thing that she had ever done.

Hearing footsteps, Rebecca cranked her neck around and felt relieved to see Marini and the others approaching from the stairs.

"You need to listen to your own advice, rookie. What happened to not going off on your own?!" Marini said in a reprimanding tone.

Rebecca flinched.

"I'm-I'm sorry, sir!" She said quickly with a blush.

"If you're going to be giving survival tips, follow through on them, for Christ's sake, otherwise what's the point?!" Marini scolded.

The medic shrank underneath his glare, feeling like a child. Shifting with discomfort, she waited as his gaze averted away from her.

"What happened here?" He asked as he studied the broken door and statues.

She shook her head. "I don't know, I just got here myself. I heard a door open down there not too long ago."

"What do you think, Captain? Proof that our boy's one of Umbrella's monsters?" Aiken nervously asked.

"Why don't we go and politely ask?" Marini suggested.

With Aiken ahead of them, the survivors silently slipped through the haze-filled doorway one by one. Rebecca tried matching each of her steps and pace with Marini's while Forest took the rear, but it was becoming slightly difficult due to the scattered debris that made her fumble about.

"Hey Captain," Aiken called up ahead, "take a look at this!"

Regaining her balance, Rebecca looked up to see a great dome-shaped room with a giant telescope mounted on a grated walkway at the room's center.

"_Fuuuck_, look at that sucker." Coen swore.

"How much do you think this thing is worth?" Aiken piped up.

"I'm guessing that it's something with _a lot _of zeroes at the end." Coen replied. "Probably more than what you'd earn on your paycheck."

"Focus, Richard! Now's not the time for sightseeing!" Marini frowned as he pointed to the single door at the other side. "Let's get the bastard before he makes an escape!"

* * *

><p>With each stroke it made, water rippled. Through its electrolocation, it was able to make out some structure protruding from the water. What caught its interest, however, were the multiple electrical fields on the surface closing in on one at the structure's center.<p>

Gills flared rapidly in excitement.

Prey.

* * *

><p>Feeling the cool breeze of the night air, Rebecca watched as the door swung away to reveal a long stone bridge ahead of her. Stepping out with her companions, Rebecca glanced uneasily over its stony railing, only to find herself staring down at the black still water of a large lake that it was situated on.<p>

'_That looks awfully deep.'_ She thought worriedly.

Though the bridge certainly seemed sturdy enough, she hoped that it would support their crossing without incident.

"There!" Aiken pointed ahead.

Standing next to an electric lamp about halfway across was Star, who stared fixedly at something ahead - a large, four-story high church.

"The hell?" Forest swore, speaking on behalf of everyone. "Why the fuck is there a church here?"

Curiosity peaked within the medic as she studied it.

A mixture of gothic and medieval styles, it was an imposing block of masonry with a pair of spires on both corners of the roof and a raised pediment, which in turn led up to a railed balcony at the top, an area that Rebecca had assumed to be the bell tower. Underneath the balcony, a rose window rested above a pair of lancets, both of which were positioned directly over an ambulatory-framed, lamp-lit, semicircular portal that formed the church entrance. Taken together with what looked to be a guard tower to the right, it almost looked like the face of some great stony being with a glowing mouth holding out a massive fist.

"I'll go off on a limb and say that it's probably part of this facility." Coen deduced.

Rebecca blinked. Could it really?

"How big is this goddamn place?" Aiken muttered.

Looking to the albino, Rebecca carefully watched as he started backing away from the building.

Moving toward him, she was just about to call his name when there came a violent splash from her right. Holding her hand up to shield her eyes from the wild spray, Rebecca saw something large land on the stone railing. Its form outlined by the moon, noone made a sound as it hopped off the railing and into the light.

It took Rebecca a while to process what it was that she was looking at, for she couldn't believe what she was seeing!

Roughly eight or nine feet tall, the creature was unlike anything the group had ever encountered. Though one could find hints of its humanity in its overall outline, what stood between them and Star was no mere zombie, nor was it one of those dreaded leech men or cyborgs. Pickle green in hue and covered in thick scales, it was a bizarre amalgam of man and fish. Devoid of eyes, the head resembled that of a carp's with ears or hair protruding from the sides.

'_No, not ears.'_ Rebecca corrected herself. From the way they wriggled, they definitely weren't ears, nor were they hair either. They were fins!

Supporting the head was a robust barrel-like chest over a slim waist with a protruding pelvis underneath, while a pair of long, frog-like legs with webbed and clawed feet allowed the creature to stand similarly like a hunched-over human. From its back, Rebecca made out a pair of long membranous fish-like dorsal fins leading downward to a slight tail. What made the creature especially imposing, however, were its arms; long and very powerfully built, with thick muscles in its deltoids and biceps as well as strongly built finned forearms, it gave the animal a vaguely simian appearance, reminding Rebecca of either a chimp or a gorilla. Gripping fiercely a long gold trident within its huge hands and webbed fingers, the creature tapped the weapon several times onto the stone floor, its gills flaring angrily each time it made contact. The gills, if they could be called that, were by far the most bizarre feature of the animal; with each "breath" it made, the entire thoracic cage would actually open up to reveal its organs, including its beating heart.

_'...What is this thing?!'_

Rebecca wondered in a mixture of fascination and worry.

When the animal stopped tapping, it twisted its head around to face her and the others, Rebecca's muscles tensed up as the creature "stared" at her, seemingly sizing her up before turning to face Star.

Beside her, Aiken raised his sidearm and took aim at the thing's head, but stopped as Marini placed a hand on his arm, signaling for him to wait.

Seconds counted away as it continued staring at the albino, its gills flaring with each rasping breath that it made, then looked back to them. Evidently, the thing was trying to determine which to attack first. The decision came when it suddenly veered back around and leapt toward Star, who barely had time to duck away as it stabbed into the floor where he stood.

"FIRE!" Marini shouted to Aiken.

Ammunition pounded into the animal's hide, but to no avail. It didn't even seem to register their effect.

"Damn it, why won't it die?!" Aiken cursed.

Forest raised the grenade launcher.

"STAND CLEAR!" He yelled to Star.

Just as the albino turned around to run, the creature leapt with a speed and height surprising for its size and landed on the other side. When it straightened itself up, it shuffled toward him, swaying itself from side to side in a manner that reminded Rebecca of a crab. Star slid to a stop and twisted himself around to get away when he jerked back with a cry as the trident pierced his injured shoulder, dropping his journals in the process.

"STAR!" Rebecca shouted.

Star tried to wriggle himself free, but the creature hoisted him into the air like a hunter that caught a valuable trophy. Turning to face the water, it started to head toward the edge.

"NO!"

There was no way she was going to let anyone else die, not on her watch!

Rebecca's feet flew off the ground as she ran forward and shoulder checked it, slamming as hard as she could into the creature, causing it rasp out in surprise as it slightly lost its balance.

'_Ooooh God that hurts!_' She winced.

It was like slamming into a wall. While she wasn't able to knock it over, it did have the desired effect of releasing its grip on the trident, causing Star to collapse onto the stone floor.

The creature shook its head, then rasped out an angry snarl as it pulled its arm back to lash out at her. Rebecca raised her arms upward protectively, bracing herself for the impact when Marini smashed the butt of his shotgun into its face repeatedly. Firing the weapon multiple times into its hide, he was swatted from his feet by its huge hand. It tried to pull itself up, only to be tackled down by Forest, who was now stabbing frantically at it with a combat knife.

Marini groaned as he made it back onto his feet.

"Go check on Wolf and get him out of here if you can, we'll deal with this!" He exclaimed.

Giving a nod, Rebecca moved toward the wounded albino, who was now trying to crawl away with the trident still in his shoulder.

"Star!" She called.

"Get this thing out, it hurts!" He said through clenched teeth.

"Okay, hold on."

Grabbing the staff, she started to pull, causing him to yell.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She apologized.

She was about to begin again when a guttural and raspy roar caused her to stop.

Twisting around, she caught sight of Forest being roughly thrown aside like a rag doll. Though the creature lacked eyes, Rebecca could tell from the way it breathed and growled that it was angry. Backhanding Marini with one hand, it strode toward her in that terrible crab-like movement.

Seeing it coming closer, Rebecca started to wrench furiously at the trident.

The muscles in her arms burned furiously as she pulled with every ounce of her strength.

'_Must. Get. This. OUT!'_

"REBECCA GET OUT OF THERE!" Marini called.

She turned around in time to feel a great weight slam into her, knocking her off her feet and onto the floor beside Star. Looking up, she screamed at the creature's hideous carp-like face as its lips and hot breath brushed against her cheek, its weight slightly pressing on her legs and stomach, the horrible fishy smell of its body smothering her in plumes. Pushing it back with her feet, Rebecca squirmed backward toward the church. In the next moment, it launched itself at her again. Pinning her down once more, the thing let out a shrill and anguished cry as it flailed around on top of her. She didn't stop to think about why it had been behaving the way it did, she was too busy screaming to even notice. After several seconds of it writhing around, the creature made a noise as if it were trying to suck in its last breath, its movements becoming increasingly more sluggish than the last. Several seconds, maybe a minute later, it lay still while she resumed her screams.

* * *

><p>The man stared stoically at the monitor as a subordinate approached.<p>

"Report," he ordered, his voice like grinding rock.

"Several specimens have been secured. Empress Type 1210 has been extracted from the infection zone." the tall figure announced.

"Any complications?"

"Not on my end, sir."

"Good." The man said as he looked back at the screen, "Hierophant Type B 05 will need to be extracted as soon as possible. The last thing we need is for history to repeat itself."

"It will be done, sir." The subordinate bowed. There came a low chuckle, causing the subordinate to pause, "Sir?"

The man waved him off. "Oh, it's nothing." he said as studied the group surrounding a single figure beside the fallen creature, his mouth forming into a wry grin, "Merely musing on the unexpectedness of this event."

Gesturing for the subordinate to leave, he resumed his thoughts in private. A whole area, swarming with creatures, each one vicious and ripe and capable of presenting a challenge for the Hierophant, yet it took a single girl to pierce its heart.

Christiaan Huygens must be rolling in his grave.


	18. Chapter Seventeen: Unbound

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**MUSIC: DOUBLE-CROSSER - RESIDENT EVIL (PS1)**

**Chapter Seventeen: Unbound**

"It's okay, rookie," Aiken assured, "it's okay."

Rebecca panted, wiping away her tear-stained cheeks, "Is it-is it dead?"

"Oh, it's dead alright. Nice job."

Turning back to the skewered beast, she gawked, "Oh God, I didn't...I didn't even mean to-"

"Don't dwell on this too much, rookie," Marini advised, "Just consider yourself lucky and leave it at that."

When she opened her mouth to respond, a groan interrupted her thoughts as she and the others caught sight of Star climbing up to his feet and quickly limping toward the church.

"WAIT!" Rebecca shouted.

"STAY RIGHT WHERE YOU ARE!" Marini demanded.

Their cries fell on deaf ears as Star's bleeding form disappeared behind the door.

Aiken fumed, "Goddamn pain in the-"

"He's injured, he won't get far." Coen commented.

Marini checked his weapon, "Let's get him before he bleeds out."

Rebecca followed her teammates when she noticed Forest lingering behind.

"Aren't you coming?" she asked, causing the others to momentarily pause.

Forest didn't answer.

"Forest?"

"What's going on?" Marini asked.

"Forest won't come."

The Bravo Captain scowled, "Forest?"

The subordinate refused to move, not even bothering to respond.

Rebecca shifted nervously, "Forest, what's wrong?"

When he failed to reply, Marini growled with irritation, "Do you have a problem with your speech, or is your hearing compromised?"

Rebecca watched as Forest edged away from them, moving several steps back until he stood right next to the electric lamp. The moment he became illuminated, Rebecca felt a slight lump in her throat. Now she understood why he hadn't bothered to answer; his forearms were littered with various cuts that bled freely.

"Oh my god." Coen murmured.

"It got me." the Bravo said quietly.

Marini slowly approached him, "Forest-"

"Get back!"

"Forest, calm down-"

"I SAID GET BACK!"

Rebecca stepped toward him, "You need treatment, let me help you."

He shook his head, "I'm a dead man."

"Forest, don't be stupid." Marini said, "Let's get Rebecca to treat those cuts."

"There's no point."

"The hell there isn't!" Coen snapped, "The faster you get that looked at, the better."

The weapons specialist was quiet for a moment, then spoke, "Does that guarantee that I won't turn?"

Rebecca cautiously chose her wording, "There's a chance."

"What are the odds?"

When she didn't answer, he gave her a cold look.

"Thought as much." he replied. Turning away from them, he went back toward the door from where they came, "Don't bother following me if you know what's good for you."

"Forest please!" Rebecca called out. "We can find a cure, please wait!"

"Get away from that door, Forest!" Marini said in a sharp tone.

The Bravo gave Rebecca and the others one final glance before he disappeared behind the closing door.

"FOREST!"

The door closed shut behind him, marking the last time Rebecca would ever see him.

* * *

><p>Forest scrambled forward, rushing quickly down the stairs, cursing himself with each step. How stupid was he to have gotten himself scratched by the damn thing's scales?<p>

"Doesn't matter now," he said aloud.

What happened back there happened, and what was sickening was that there was no way to undo it. The only thing he can do now was to go.

It would be dangerous for him to stick around. He wasn't going to wait around for the change. He was not going to wait around to see himself eat his own friends.

Screw. That.

"If I'm gonna die, it'll be on my terms," he muttered aloud.

He wasn't going to find a place to eat a bullet. No, that was too undignified. He wasn't some pussy pansy waste shaking in his boots, he was a goddamned green beret, a shake 'n' bake from Fort Bragg!

If he was going to go down, then it will be as a fighter!

Gripping the ARWEN-37, Forest Speyer proceeded down the dimmed halls, thirsty for a fight.

* * *

><p>"Damn it!"<p>

Rebecca flinched as Marini swore.

"I'll get him." Aiken called as he ran past the electric lamp, receding into the shadows.

"Be careful." Marini warned the fleeing Bravo. Turning back to the others, he gestured to the church, "On me."

* * *

><p>Footfalls echoed across the relief-covered walls as Rebecca and company entered. The door creaking thunderously behind them, Rebecca allowed her eyes to wander, soaking up the imagery around her. It must have been beautiful at some point, but what lay before her was a wreck; the various reliefs, fluted Ionic columns and stained glass were all filthy, chipped and cracked, some pieces noticeably absent.<p>

"So strange that a church would be built here," she said softly to noone in particular.

Why were places such as the church and astronomy room built here in the first place?

Was it merely for ostentation? Was it to give a sense of solidarity and comfort for the employees? Were they guilt-absorbing buffers, distractions that allowed these Frankensteins to momentarily seek asylum from their conscience and the knowledge of what they were doing? Were some of these people trying to find a way to exorcize their demons by seeking out God, whether it through prayer or by glancing through the cosmos?

Regardless of the answer, there was no denying that God was absent from this place. While not a religious person herself, part of Rebecca felt disgusted, a kind of moral and religious indignation. For a church to be built over a site where much horror and unfathomable evil has been committed, it was blasphemous in the extreme. Such a place, in her opinion, should not be allowed to exist; it should be burned to the ground along with everything else that Umbrella had touched.

Stepping down the nave, Rebecca glanced from side to side, noting how the space that separated the aisles from left to right was noticeably large, probably eight or nine feet wide.

Why was there such a wide gap between the aisles?

The only logical reason that she could come up with was that the space allowed for easier maneuvering.

_'For what?'_ she wondered. Equipment? Specimens?

At the mere mention of the latter, Rebecca forcibly repressed a shudder from rippling through her.

"There!" Coen called, pointing to a shape kneeling in front of an altar.

With his hand shakily gripping on its ledge for support, the albino began to crumple, causing the trio to rush to his side.

"Star!" Rebecca cried.

Beads of sweat dripped down from his face, his eyes closed.

"I need to lie down. The room is spinning and I'm finding it hard to breathe!"

"Okay, calm down. Everything will be fine, let's just get you comfortable." Rebecca said soothingly as she and the others carefully maneuvered him down to the floor. Propping his back up against the altar, Rebecca pulled away, hastily shrugging off her backpack while Marini applied pressure onto the injury.

"It's okay, you'll be alright," she assured as she snapped on a pair of latex gloves, "I just need you to stay awake. You'll be okay."

"M-mother," Star stammered.

Hearing the word, the medic froze.

"You've- you've got to protect my mother! I think- I think she might be in danger! You have to help her, please!"

Hearing the franticness in his voice, she turned around to see the albino. With his hood lowered and mask of stoicism completely shattered, he was a frightful sight to behold, so much so that even Coen and Marini did a double-take.

"Star-"

"Please! You have to help her!"

"We'll help her, but I need you to calm down." she said with concern.

"Can you tell us what is going on?" Marini asked.

"I don't know anything, I swear. Please...help her..." the albino repeated, his voice becoming fainter.

"Wolf. Wolf, stay awake." Marini urged.

"Help..." the albino pleaded, his voice a mere whisper before slipping out of consciousness.

"Shit!" Marini swore, using the other hand to check his pulse. "Let's get that coat and shirt off as quickly as possible."

Rebecca gave a quick nod, then proceeded to unbutton Star's clothing with Coen.

"Come on, come on! We don't have much time!" Marini demanded.

Upon undoing the final buttons, Rebecca pulled the shirt and coat aside, slipping them off from Star's sloped shoulders.

Upon seeing what lay underneath, the trio paused in their work.

"Oh my God." Rebecca gasped.

"Jesus." Marini muttered.

Though the albino had a slim frame with an attractive level of musculature, his torso was littered with scars, the largest and most hideous being on the right side of his chest. Roughly two and a half feet long and one and a half feet wide, three vertical cuts were fused together to form a massive, singular and ugly wound that extended from his shoulder and part of the neck, cutting into the nipple and pectoral down to the abdomen.

"Let's get him fixed up before he keels over on us." Coen remarked.

Snapping her attention away, the medic turned back to the shoulder injury. From what she can tell, the weapon had punctured clear, narrowly missing the shoulder blade and upper arm.

_'I'll need to immobilize it,'_ Rebecca thought as she pulled her backpack open, pulling out the necessary materials for a splint.

"What do you think caused _this_?" she nervously asked as she poured water over the blood-stained shoulder.

Coen shook his head. "I don't know. It almost looks like he had a run-in with a Grizzly."

She nodded in agreement.

_'I can see a Grizzly making these kind of marks.'_ Rebecca thought to herself as she shook a can of First Aid Spray.

"Move your hand please." she instructed.

Once Marini was out of the way, the medic sprayed onto Star's shoulder.

"Okay, one side down." Rebecca murmured, "Can you carefully move him forward?"

Marini nodded, then gestured to Coen to help. Together, the two men carefully pulled Star slightly away from the altar when they suddenly froze.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Take a look at this." Marini said in a strained voice.

Knitting her brows together in confusion, Rebecca stepped over to Marini's position to see what it was that he had been reacting to.

As she did so, a sudden chill ran through her veins.

"Wha?"

Branded angrily into Star's back were even more scars, along with a large curious symbol that must have been over a foot in circumference. She couldn't see much of what it actually represented; all that she had been able to make out were some shapes, what looked like parallel triangles surrounding a circle.

Marini was about to pull the albino forward, presumably to see the symbol more fully, when she stopped him.

"You'll hurt him if you do that. Hold-hold him still while I seal off the blood flow here."

As Rebecca continued her work, she felt the muscles in her jaw clench and heat rise up to her cheeks.

_'What kind of monster did this?'_ she wondered.

* * *

><p>After she had finished putting Star's arm into a sling, Rebecca began packing up what was left into her backpack.<p>

"Okay, that's about it." she said before straightening herself.

Marini nodded.

"Good job, Rebecca." he said, patting her on the shoulder.

"Thank you, sir." she said quietly.

"How are we holding up in terms of supplies?"

She frowned.

"Not too good. We only have a few more gauze bandages, and I just used up the last First-Aid Spray. Unless we can find a place to restock, we'll have to be more conservative with the rest. We can't afford to have a repeat."

Marini grunted. "Easier said than done."

Rebecca continued to stare solemnly at the floor.

"You okay, Rebecca?" Marini asked concernedly.

"Just thinking. All those scars..." she said, shaking her head.

He nodded sympathetically.

"I know."

"What happened to him?" she asked.

Marini turned to the albino, eying him with interest.

"That's something I would like to know as well, but unless he comes to, we'll have to wait." he said before returning his gaze back to Rebecca, "In the mean time, Coen and I will look around the place, see if we can salvage anything."

"Don't be too long." Rebecca said nervously.

"We'll try to be as quick as possible." Marini said with a nod.

Looking to Coen, he signaled for him to follow him, moving toward the door at the altar's far left.

"Take care."

* * *

><p>Wax candles flickered as Rebecca glanced about her, eying the buttresses and shadowed walls with suspicion.<p>

_'God, I wish that they hadn't left,'_ she thought regretfully.

Ever since Coen and Marini left her alone, Rebecca kept having the sneaking suspicion of something being in the room with her, another presence. Why she felt the way she did, she wasn't certain; she had looked around the church, underneath the benches, up at the ceiling and along the columns. Aside from herself, Star and a few broken pieces of debris, there was nothing else. Yet, something didn't feel right.

Rebecca frowned.

"Great, I'm getting paranoid." she muttered tiredly.

Hearing the exhaustion within her own voice, Rebecca began to realize how much out of it she was. In fact, she felt completely drained.

"God, I wish I could get some sleep."

Rebecca wistfully thought about home and her comfy bed. It had only been a few hours since she left, but right now those hours felt like they were from far long ago.

_'I'll just take a little nap until my team arrive,'_ she thought.

Taking one glance to the albino, she was about to turn away when she noticed something protruding from his neatly folded coat.

Curiosity getting the better of her, she stepped forward and whisked the red coat aside, uncovering three familiar objects; the sketchbook, the notebook and the vellum-bound manuscript that Star guarded so fearfully and protectively.

She scowled, berating herself for having so stupidly misplaced them.

How could she have just forgotten about them?

"God, I must be really tired." she muttered.

Taking hold of the sketchbook, she flipped open its cover, curious to know what lay within.

"Oh wow!" she said aloud.

Greeting her gaze was the visage of a beautiful-looking fox done in black and white acrylic paint. Unconsciously tracing her fingers along each line, she stared at the animal with wonder, then looked to the albino's slumped form.

Was this his work?

She made a mental note to ask him when he woke up. If it was, then he was a person of considerable talent. Peeling aside the pages, Rebecca scanned through each one with interest, avidly taking in every detail with delight.

Myriad in its subject matter and style, the sketchbook consisted mainly of portraiture and animal drawings, with a few pieces of still-life and landscape paintings in between.

In each piece, there was a strong sense of precision; from the various tonal differences in skin and shadows to foreshortened limbs, figures and buildings, tremendous care had been given. Some of the best drawings, in her opinion, seemed to represent the albino's home life, for there was a wonderful sense of warmth and comfort. One that especially caught her eye was a painting that depicted Star as a child. Labeled as "September 1990", it showed him being tightly hugged from behind by a plump, smiling red-haired woman in front of a small house that was surrounded by willow trees. The only thing that kept the painting from being picture perfect was the albino himself, for the facial scars were considerably more noticeable and gruesome.

Shaking her head sadly, Rebecca continued flipping through the rest, scanning each section carefully until she reached the end.

Nothing.

"Well, onward to book number two." Rebecca said to herself as she reached for the notebook. Flipping it open, she had half expected more drawings, maybe even a log entry.

The moment she saw what lay within, Rebecca felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise.

Numerous newspaper cut-outs and articles filled the notebook's pages, all of which were focused around S.T.A.R.S. and the numerous cases that they have handled, from its initial announcement within the Raccoon City Press to more recent articles about the cannibal killings.

Glancing nervously to Star's unmoving form, Rebecca stared questioningly at him.

Why did he have this? What had he been up to?

By the time she finished the notebook, or scrapbook, or whatever the hell it was supposed to be, Rebecca then took hold of the manuscript. Cracking it open, Rebecca found herself pausing as she saw what stared back from yellowed paper.

A hulking, barrel-chested and heavily muscled brute with a long, disturbingly skull-like face, flaking skin and gnarled rat-like ears kneeled down at the page's center. Wearing the tattered, mold-covered remains of a security uniform, it sat hunched over, holding in one apish hand the handle of an improvised weapon - a disgusting club decorated with skulls and coated with slime - that rested by his side, while raising up in the other a dismembered human head in a manner that seemed to parody the Yorrick scene from Hamlet. From its lipless mouth and overly long jaw, Rebecca could see the thing enjoying its meal, like a child enjoying an apple. Appalled, she momentarily closed the book, taking in a few deep breaths.

What was Star thinking when he drew _this_ up?

Was this something that he had seen for himself, or was it all imagined?

It was hard to say. Rebecca was inclined to believe that it was the latter, but the drawing was incredibly detailed and damnably lifelike.

Exhaling slowly, she flipped the manuscript back open and skimmed through the pages.

From what she could see, this was some sort of bestiary. On each page was some nightmarish creature, each of which possessed not only features that made one distinctive enough from the other, but also a name that seemed strangely whimsical. Names like "Death", "Fool", "Strength", "Judgement", "Temperance" and so on.

All had their own sense of identity, but one stood out from the rest in terms of aesthetics and menace.

Standing proudly in a kind of contrapposto style of pose with disproportionately long limbs was a hairless humanoid creature with a sinewy, almost skeletal build. Hard and expressionless, facially speaking it was handsome save for a long cut down its left eye and a third-degree burn that disfigured the entity's right orbit and cheek. What made it distinctively inhuman, though, were the long ears and the goat-like horns that protruded upward from its bald head. Looking to the rest of the body, Rebecca saw patches of armor with grid-like markings covering its shoulders, forearms, right thigh and left shin, while certain portions of it limbs remained curiously bare, revealing what looked like exposed muscle, tubes or wire that ran beneath the armored pieces themselves. With one arm draped protectively over one pauldron-clad shoulder and the other over its right thigh, it gave the impression of possessing the aura of either an Egyptian god or a praying mantis.

Rebecca found it to be a very strange design, inspiring contradictory feelings of both attraction and repulsion; on the one hand, it was the most blatantly demonic of the bunch, even when compared to that of the rotted winged child known as Judgement, but on the other hand it was oddly the most beautiful, ornamental, if not stained glass-like in terms of its detail. It also seemed to somehow skew her perception; at times Rebecca could make out some reptilian features, but when glanced at from another angle she found herself recalling insect exoskeletons.

Flipping the next page, she found a disconcerting shift in focus, one that made her feel really uncomfortable and squirm, so much so that she had to put it down and back away.

Turning around, she rested her head against the wall, taking in a couple of steady breaths, her whole body trembling.

Those pages following really frightened her; from that illustration onward the manuscript wasn't just a bestiary, no. It became an _instruction manual_ for building this particular being!

Looking back to the albino's still form, Rebecca stared with a newly found feeling of apprehension, wondering what else he knew.


	19. Chapter Eighteen: Confessions

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**MUSIC: ARPHE - DANTE'S INFERNO**

**Chapter Eighteen: Confessions**

She didn't know when she had drifted off, nor did she know for how long. The only thing Rebecca knew was that it had been the sound of doors creaking that caused her to stir. Pushing herself off from the wall where she rested, she rubbed her eyes as a figure approached.

"Richard!" she exclaimed.

* * *

><p>Richard Aiken strode dejectedly toward the altar, watching as the young medic got up from the floor with a large book in one arm.<p>

"Good to see you, Richard," Rebecca greeted.

"Good to see you too, Rebecca." Aiken replied, trying to muster up what little energy he had into his voice. "You look tired."

The Bravo scoffed.

"I've felt better," she admitted. "Where's Forest?"

The Bravo frowned upon hearing the query. Aiken had hoped that she wouldn't ask. So much for hope.

"I couldn't find him. He's gone."

Rebecca's lips parted slightly, then stopped as she stared down at the floor.

Seeing her expression, Aiken felt obligated to provide some form of assurance for the girl. He stepped toward her and opened his mouth to speak when he caught sight of something white lying at the altar. Turning his head, his eyes widened, "Christ, what happened with him?"

Looking over to where he stared, Rebecca shook her head.

"We don't know." she answered.

Seeing the scars that covered the youth's torso, Aiken stared like one confronted with a new set of hieroglyphics.

"I...I found something," Rebecca spoke.

His eyes turned in her direction.

"Yes?" Aiken prodded.

She bit her lip, then brought up the book, pulling it open to a specific page.

"You have to see this." she said in a soft, nervous whisper.

Crinkling his brow in confusion, Aiken looked questioningly at her before taking hold of the book.

Seeing the illustration, he scanned the page.

"What's this?"

"Do you remember those journals that Star guarded?"

"And this is his?"

"Yeah," Rebecca replied. "Check out the other pages after."

"Why?"

"Just look."

Humoring her, Aiken momentarily paused as he saw the next set of images, giving a slight nod of understanding before continuing on.

Now he understood why Rebecca seemed so spooked.

Various diagrams illustrated the creature's anatomy, breaking down each and every part in considerable detail. A lot of advanced technical terms were used, referring to the armored pieces on its shoulders and legs as "solar panels with crystalline silicon-celled modules", the horns as "frontal cranial antennae" and the exposed wires and tubes as "pneumatic artificial muscles". What made the drawings seem more than mere fantasy, however, was the fact that they went so far as to include weight ratios, mathematical and physics equations, chemical formulas and other stuff that all came together in such a way that made it seem possible for this thing to be built.

"Jesus," Aiken breathed.

"That's not all," Rebecca cryptically replied.

"There's more?" Aiken asked with surprise.

Her only response was to pass over a notebook.

Looking through the next batch of pages, Aiken felt a strong churning in his stomach as he saw various newspaper clippings revolving around S.T.A.R.S.

What. The. Fuck?!

His fingers running across each headline, Aiken stared at the compiled articles. All of their achievements, all of their failures...

"Why do you think he would have this?" Rebecca nervously asked.

Aiken narrowed his eyes.

"Good question. Let's wake him up and ask."

He took one step toward the altar when Rebecca grabbed his forearm.

"Richard, let me try," she suggested.

The Bravo looked doubtfully at her.

"No offense, Rebecca, but you have no experience with interrogation." he replied.

"No, I don't," she admitted, "but I think he'll feel more comfortable talking to me."

Aiken stood there for a moment, then gave a nod.

"Alright, but I'll be monitoring you."

* * *

><p>Part of Rebecca cheered internally at this presented opportunity. Finally, a chance to prove her capabilities outside of the seminars. Another part, however, was uncertain, wary even. She was full of trepidation.<p>

_'What are you worrying for? Richard will be there for you if things get out of hand,'_ a portion of herself assured.

With that in mind, the medic felt her confidence renewed. Looking to Aiken, she gave a slight nod as she took the journals back, and was just about to turn away when she felt his hand on her shoulder.

"Hold up."

Blinking confusedly at him, she watched as her comrade approached the altar and kneeled over Star's still form. When Aiken got back up and turned around, he moved toward one of the benches and sat down with swords in hand.

"Okay, you're all clear. Go ahead," he gestured.

Rebecca looked back to the albino, then stepped forward. Kneeling down, she started prying him from his sleep by shaking a shoulder.

"Star. Star? Star!" she called.

"What? Wha?" The albino jerked up, startling her. "What happened?"

"It's okay," Rebecca said in a calm tone. "You were injured."

Knitting his brows together in confusion, his eyes looked down at the sling that held one arm, then to his own torso. Upon seeing the latter, the slitted eyes widened with horror as he quickly snatched the coat off from the floor with one arm and tried to conceal his scarred flesh as best he could. A look of shame spread across his features as he tried to look away.

"Are you okay?" Rebecca asked concernedly.

When she didn't get a response, Rebecca felt a slight tinge of irritation build.

"I had a look through your books," she said, causing Star to whip his eyes over to her. "Very interesting content you have."

Opening the manuscript and notebook, she lowered them and watched as his eyes lingered on the latter.

"I don't suppose there's anything you neglected to tell us?" she asked.

"Nothing that concerns you," Star replied.

"Bullshit!" Aiken snapped, "Two maybe three of my friends are dead and one has disappeared! How the hell does that not concern us?!"

"Richard, let me handle this," Rebecca placated. Looking back to Star, she continued, "You said that you wanted to be a member of S.T.A.R.S., right? What you're doing isn't helping us."

The albino tilted his head in thought, his facial muscles and eyes tense.

"You don't understand the quagmire that I'm in," he replied.

"Then make us understand." Rebecca insisted. "What is going on?"

"I don't know."

Aiken glared.

"Don't lie to us, Wolf-"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Star yelled, startling the Bravos. Hesitating, he lowered his chin mournfully, then said in a quieter voice, "If I _had_ known the answers myself, I would have told you instantly. That was why I came to Colorado – – to find answers."

Rebecca blinked, puzzled.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Can't you not tell from my accent that I wasn't born in Louisiana?"

"So you made that up?" Aiken stated.

He glanced over in annoyance.

"I didn't say that. I said _born_, not _raised_."

"Huh? You lost me." Rebecca said, confused with the reference.

Turning his head away, Star stared down to the floor.

"I have no memory of where I'm from. I can't recall anything about my life before the age of ten. I can't remember my parents, let alone remember how I got..." he trailed off for a moment, then waved to the various cuts on his face, "these."

His frustration was not lost on Rebecca.

"The only things that I was able to recall was that my name was Star and Raccoon City. I didn't know what the latter was, nor did I know what it looked like, all I knew was that I had to find it."

"Didn't you try to tell the authorities?" Rebecca asked.

"I tried, but they refused to listen. People didn't take me seriously. They all thought 'Raccoon City' was some place that I had concocted as part of some childish fantasy or a joke. Some of them even treated me like I was crazy." he replied.

Rebecca listened as he drew in a breath through his nostrils.

"I kept insisting that it was a real place but they kept ignoring me. Years pass, and after all of the arguing back and forth, eventually it came to the point where I just resigned myself to the idea that maybe it _had_ been a fantasy. I mean, you have to admit, Raccoon City sounded like the perfect setting for a Disney film."

He unconsciously scratched his cheek.

"That changed a few months ago, when I was at the Miskatonic University Library collecting some articles from one of their microfiche machines for a class project. I had wanted to see how the media framed cult activity within newspaper coverages, from their placement and wording to their content and the kind of cults that were represented."

Rebecca began to see where this was heading.

"And that was when you came to learn about there being a Raccoon City and S.T.A.R.S.." she stated.

He nodded.

"Yes."

Rebecca shifted around uncomfortably, then sat down on the floor in front of him and pointed to the demonic figure in the drawings.

"Why did you make these?"

"I didn't."

"Then where did you get them from?"

"I found them."

Rebecca frowned.

"'Found them'?" she repeated doubtfully.

"On my porch, along with this coat on my birthday." the albino answered, glancing down to the red leather covering his chest. He looked around with uncertainty, "They're also partially why I'm here."

She waited for him to elaborate more.

Nodding, he continued in a softer voice, as if reluctant to even make this admission heard.

"When I got these, I didn't even think there was any malign intent behind them. I only saw them as gifts,...maybe from someone who had wanted to be a friend but was too ashamed to come meet me in person."

Hearing those words and his tone made Rebecca ache. They were full of longing and hopefulness, mixed with either bitterness or desperation. Whatever the latter, there was no denying that Star's existence seemed to be an intensely lonely one, something that Rebecca herself could relate to in a way.

When he resumed, his tone took a different turn.

"A couple weeks after I got them, I started getting messages on paper, written with some sort of disappearing ink telling me to head to Raccoon City. At first, I thought someone was playing a joke on me, but that notion was tossed out the window when they persisted, repeating the same thing over and over and over like a mantra – – 'Go to Raccoon City.' One message implied violence."

"What did it say?" Rebecca asked.

Star shifted uncomfortably.

"'Go to Raccoon City or face the consequences,'" he repeated word per word, his face gaunt and haunted. "I received that on the very day when I came across the articles."

"Did you get any more recently?"

He nodded.

"Yes, yes I did. On the Ecliptic Express. Someone had placed this on my lap when I fell asleep." He reached into his right pant pocket and pulled out a paperback, the cover entitled _Rime of the Ancient Mariner_ by Samuel Coleridge. Flipping through, he stopped on a specific page.

"They highlighted this part here."

Taking hold, Rebecca began to read from the highlighted section. As she read, the medic noticed a change within the albino's features; the firm stoic mask was starting to crack.

_"'Like one, that on a lonesome road_

_Doth walk in fear and dread,_

_And having once turned round walks on,_

_And turns no more his head;_

_Because he knows, a frightful fiend_

_Doth close behind him tread.'"_

After she finished, the albino's body started to shiver.

"Star?"

The shiver then turned into full-bodied trembling, the mask now completely shattered. The figure before her was no longer the frightful being that was first encountered onboard the Ecliptic Express, standing warrior-like amongst the scattered viscera of its passengers, no. Sitting in front of her was an image far more disturbing than anything she had seen at the mansion thus far; the face of a boy etched with months' worth of terror, the result of what could only be from merciless and persistent terror tactics.

"They had been watching me. Following me. Been doing so for years. I should never have stayed in Arkham. I shouldn't have accepted a mother," he berated himself. "And because I did, she's now involved and they have their eyes on her."

Aiken spoke, "Who?"

"The cultists, the ones responsible for that girl's murder all those years ago," the albino said with conviction, "they're the ones who made these marks."

Taken completely aback by the answer, Rebecca exchanged looks with her colleague, who seemed equally befuddled.

Hearing something snap, she turned back to see Star unbuckling one gauntlet awkwardly with one hand. As he loosened each buckle, the medic caught a flash of something smooth and silky underneath.

_'What is that?'_ she wondered.

At first she thought that it was merely padding, but that thought abruptly cut itself off as she saw the unpleasant truth; from elbow to digit, the entire forearm was covered in a thick layer of bandages.

Watching the albino take hold of the fabric, he began to unravel. When he finished, Rebecca let out a startled cry, raising a hand to her mouth as she saw what was revealed.

Sickeningly mottled yellow and white in color and patched in places, the forearm was horrifically disfigured, the result of severe third-degree burns. The hand was the worst feature of all, for the burns have reduced the fingers to pulped bony talons.

"They've done this! They've done this!" Star shrieked, his voice raised, hoarse and full of hysteria. _"They took my hands, and now they want more!"_

Letting the disfigured hand fall to his lap, the albino stared down to where it lay, his breath quickening.

"Raccoon City was real. All...all this time, Raccoon City was real. And those...those..._bastards! Those bastards had the nerve to call me crazy_!? I wasn't crazy. I _am not _crazy!" he exclaimed, hysteria and hyperventilation building with each word he uttered. Moving toward him, Rebecca felt the albino stiffen as she embraced him into a comforting hug. He sat there for a while, his arm flat by his side, his lips uselessly trying to work as he stared, lost in his own world as his breathing slowed.

"I was never...I was never crazy..." he murmured quietly, his lower lip trembling.

"You're not." she whispered. "You're not."

Rebecca securely tightened her hug around the albino, gently patting his mane as his long-repressed grief found expression at last.

* * *

><p>Feeling his breathing slow, Rebecca continued to hug him, then departed five, maybe ten minutes later, once she was certain that he had calmed down a bit.<p>

When she pulled herself away, the Bravo medic watched as the albino stared blankly down in thought and exhaustion. Recollecting himself, he looked away in embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry about that," Star said awkwardly.

"It's okay," Rebecca assured. "How do you feel?"

"Better."

"Do you want to take a break?"

He waved.

"No, I need to get this off my chest."

She gave a gentle nod.

"Okay, but if you want to, just let me know." Rebecca said quietly before resuming. "Didn't you try contacting the police about this?"

"I didn't bother. I was more interested in coming here to get help."

"That was why you had wanted to join S.T.A.R.S.?"

He hesitated, "Well, that and...and to meet my father."

Hearing that, curiosity peaked within Rebecca.

"Your father?" she said with intrigue.

Star shrugged.

"Well, the man I _believe_ to be my father."

"Who?"

Star opened the notebook and pointed to a picture with his disfigured hand. Moving forward, the survivors gazed down. Rebecca stared at the image he was gesturing to – – an article with a black and white group photo of S.T.A.R.S. before she had joined, consisting of both Alpha and Bravo Teams.

"No way. No. Fucking. Way." Aiken swore.

Squinting to where he pointed, she saw a large heavyset bear of a man with cropped hair and a slight beard carrying a large handgun. Rebecca knew him, but she couldn't remember his name.

"You think Sergeant..." she trailed off.

What was it? Bart? Burny? Burt? Barney?

Barry! That was it!

Barry Burton. Alpha Team's backup man and weapon supplier.

"You think Sergeant Burton is your father?" she asked.

"He's not pointing to Barry," Aiken uneasily corrected. "Look!"

Hearing the odd tone in his voice, Rebecca saw the Bravo pale, then looked back to where the albino's finger rested, then did a double-take. Standing beside Barry in the picture was Captain Albert Wesker. The leader of Alpha Team and S.T.A.R.S. as a whole, Wesker was a very enigmatic figure, though exceptional in a number of ways. Tall, with neatly-slicked back peroxide blonde hair, clean chiseled good looks and constantly dressed in black immaculate clothes, he was the very definition of the term 'consummate professional' as well as being a ruthless disciplinarian, especially during exercises. Cadets would sometimes describe his handling as being dictatorial, which wasn't far off from the truth. For Rebecca, though, she didn't mind too much; given that this was a special tactical unit within the police force, it was to be expected that it would be lead by someone with a firm grip.

_'Plus it doesn't hurt that he's absolutely gorgeous!' _the teenager within shrilly squealed in delight.

Rebecca blushed at the mere mention.

Ever since she laid eyes on him, Rebecca became enamored with Wesker, so much so that she would start having fantasies about him confessing his love for her, even with the twenty year age difference between them.

This new development, however, put a damper on her dreams of wedding bells and happily ever afters.

Looking up from the photograph, she tried to mentally compare Wesker's facial features with Star's.

She shook her head.

"I'm afraid I don't see much of a family resemblance." Rebecca spoke.

Their faces were both chiseled, but the facial structure was off; whereas Star's was boyish yet lupine, Wesker had a more fox-like frame.

Despite her response, the albino remained unwavering in his position.

"It's possible that my facial features came from my biological mother." he reasoned, then eagerly looked up at her. "Have you seen his eyes?"

Rebecca paused upon hearing that.

It was common knowledge that Wesker's defining attribute were his sunglasses; whether it was indoors or at night, Wesker always wore black chopper sunglasses, even during formal police ceremonies and get-togethers at pubs and parties. It was what gave him both his power of intimidation and mystique that attracted the eye of many women, Rebecca herself included.

"No..." she answered.

"Have you?" Star asked, turning to Aiken.

Watching the Bravo shake his head, he looked back to Rebecca.

"My physician tells me that I have a bizarre variant of what is commonly known as Cat's Eye Syndrome." Star explained.

Rebecca blinked.

"'Cat's Eye Syndrome'? This is an actual condition?" she said with surprise.

He nodded.

"It's the common name for it. The proper medical term is Schmid-Fraccaro syndrome. The defining characteristic of it are the cat-like slits in patients' eyes. It's a condition caused by chromosomal abnormality, more specifically from abnormally duplicated chromosomal material from the long arm of chromosome 22. It was first described in 1965 by Swiss pediatrician Getrud Schachenmann and her colleagues, although there are indications that its symptoms may have been recorded during the late 1890s. One in ten thousand of the population is calculated to have this mutation."

Rebecca listened, impressed by how knowledgeable he was on the subject matter. Then again, given that he was the one living with said-condition, it made sense that he would be. Several questions spun through her head at once, but one in particular drew her immediate attention.

"Is the condition...is the condition fatal?"

"No...but it is hereditary."

The Bravos looked at one another, completely put off by this revelation.

Star closed his eyes.

"I have no illusions of a happy family reunion...but a part of me needs to know. That, and..." he paused, but when he resumed again, he just laid it out, "your team is my only hope for ending...whatever this thing is."

Rebecca was surprised at the genuineness of his words, then stared at the albino.

Could he really be Wesker's son?

It almost seemed too impossible to believe, but the fact that noone had ever seen Wesker without his sunglasses made Rebecca inclined to believe Star, or at least question what it was that the S.T.A.R.S. Captain hid behind those frames.

Rebecca herself had asked around about them, but the answers surrounding those glasses were myriad and varied. Some suggested that he had been a former soldier and that he wore sunglasses to conceal facial scars that he received from armed combat, while others suggested that he had sensitive eyes. A couple officers and cadets gave him some choice names behind his back like "prat" and "douchebag", among other things.

Until now, it had never occurred to the medic that Wesker may have a genetic disorder.

_'That's assuming he has a disorder,' _a part of Rebecca argued.

Aiken shifted uncomfortably.

"Before I say anything, I just want to say sorry in advance. What I'm about to ask is probably offensive."

Star hesitated, then narrowed his eyes in anticipation.

"Go on."

"Since coming here,...has it ever crossed your mind...that your condition is related to what's going on?"

The albino stiffened.

"I very much take offense to that. Tell me, did you catch me eating people?" he heatedly replied.

Aiken raised his arms up in a placating gesture.

"Okay. Easy, it was just a question."

"And a damned stupid one!"Star snapped. "If I had been infected, why was there no media coverage around Arkham? Why were there no murders there?"

The Bravo dipped his head in down in deference.

"Look, I wasn't trying to start something, I'm just trying to consider all the avenues. If I offended you, I'm sorry."

The albino stared, then closed his eyes.

"I think now would be a good time for a break."

Rebecca nodded sympathetically, then rose up to her feet. Just right when she was about to move away from the albino, something made the medic stop in her tracks. Since Star's mentioning of how he received the scars, or rather his ignorance of said-markings, some part of Rebecca nagged at her. It took her a while to pinpoint the source. When she did, she whirled around to face him.

"Can I ask one last question?" she asked.

"By all means." Star replied.

"You said on the train that those marks on your face were made by your brother."

Star swallowed.

"Truth be told, I don't really know if I do have a brother. When I sleep, I get recurring nightmares of me being tortured by a sneering figure in a horned headdress. He would often refer to me as 'brother'."

* * *

><p>Aiken shook his head with disbelief.<p>

"Wesker...junior," he muttered aloud. "Wesker..._junior_?"

Even when spoken, it sounded incredibly awkward.

Currently he and Rebecca were standing near the entrance, away from the altar and the albino in order to converse in private.

The latter shook her head, "Well, at least we now know who he had wanted to see."

Aiken exhaled through his nostrils.

"Yeah, but still...Wesker. Junior." he repeated.

"It's not impossible."

"You have no idea."

"Why would it be?"

The Bravo frowned, keeping quiet. The idea that Captain Wesker could be a father was such a bizarre concept to him. He tried imagining him settling down, playing with his kids, being called daddy, smiling...

Aiken cringed upon thinking the latter. Oh God no.

Wesker did not have a kind smile. In fact, he rarely smiled. When he did, it was usually the _last_ thing Aiken and others wanted to see, especially when it came to exercises and interrogations. It had a certain predatory quality that would make even the slimiest and most hardened criminal shudder.

Repressing that image, he then tried to imagine a child calling Wesker "daddy".

Aiken scoffed.

"I'm sorry, I tried picturing it, but I don't think Wesker is what I would call Hallmark material."

"Why? Does he hate children?"

"No, I'm sure he likes children," Aiken answered, then followed it up, "maybe as a nice stew with gravy and potatoes on the side."

The medic pursed her lips.

"Be serious."

"But how can I? We're talking about _Captain Wesker_! You can't get anymore unromantic than him," he smiled.

For the Department, it was a known fact that Wesker rarely interacted with others; the only times he did was to snap orders or to openly criticize someone when something did not meet up to his expectations. A couple of guys thought that the highly esteemed S.T.A.R.S. Captain might have been a closet case, but Aiken didn't think so; if anything the man seemed completely oblivious, if not indifferent to romance.

"Maybe he was once," Rebecca reasoned. "If Star is to be believed, then that would have meant the Captain was the same age as him when he was born. A lot can happen in ten years."

There was a ring of truth in what she said, but a part of Aiken doubted it. It was just too strange to contemplate.

_Stranger than the undead? _He unconsciously reflected.

The Bravo paled. Oh dear God, they're with Wesker's son. Pigs can fly, zombies are real, and Wesker has a fucking kid.

A dry chuckle built its way upward, his torso shaking, trying to keep in the full blast.

Rebecca blinked.

"Richard?" she said with uncertainty.

"It figures that the day we learn Wesker has a kid weird shit starts to happen."

Upon saying that, the two burst out into hushed laughter.

He didn't know why it was so funny; it could be that the stress had taken its toll on them both and now they were using laughter as a way to exorcize themselves, but Aiken didn't care, all he knew was that he felt much better. And based on Rebecca's expression, she seemed to as well.

After a couple of minutes, they calmly recollected themselves.

"Where did the Captain go?" Aiken asked.

Rebecca pointed to the door near the altar.

"Through there. Why?"

"The Captain needs to hear about this." Aiken explained as he headed in that direction, then gestured to the albino as he awkwardly tried to put on the gauze bandage. "Stay here and help him."

* * *

><p>"Wait!" Rebecca cried out, but the Bravo had left without hearing her protest. The door closing on her face, the medic sighed as she lowered her gaze to the floor.<p>

_'If only I had been quicker,' _she thought.

Rebecca had wanted to stop Aiken from leaving her alone, to take her with him.

She didn't want to be visited by the specters that haunted her own thoughts and memories.

Hearing a low growl and muttered curses, Rebecca froze, almost too frightened to move. Turning around slowly, she saw Star fumble with the bandage. A lump started to form in her throat as she stared at the scarred flesh.

Images of her mother's bruised forearms flashed in her mind's eye.

"Officer Chambers?"

Star's voice pulled Rebecca back to reality.

"Huh?" she sputtered.

The albino blinked, put off by her behaviour.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

Part of Rebecca was reluctant to say anything.

"Yeah." she lied, then looked to his arms. "Can I help?"

He remained still, his eyes full of uncertainty.

When he didn't answer, Rebecca took the initiative by moving forward and kneeling down in front of him, taking hold of the gauze. He flinched as her fingers brushed against his arm.

"It's okay," she said quietly. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you."

The albino sat back and watched as the bandage wound its way around.

Spinning it further and further around the scars, Rebecca felt something slip from her memory like Indian ink. It was small and barely noticeable at first, but the more she focused on Star's disfigured hand, along with his account, the more she started to recall the day that changed everything for her.

The cloth spun frantically around.

* * *

><p><em>She had just come home from school, eager to see her mother. Rebecca had just gotten a job offer from Umbrella Pharmaceuticals. If accepted, she'd be able to have her own office, a high-paying salary and her own lab to work in.<em>

_Life couldn't have gotten any better._

_That feeling of elation had lasted for only a second, for upon entering Rebecca heard both of her parents shouting, even from the front hallway. From their tones alone, Rebecca was able to tell that they were in the middle of another heated argument. Even worse, from the slight slur in his voice, her father had been drunk again._

_After closing the door lightly behind her so as to not make any noise, Rebecca had then tiptoed over to the den, where the argument was taking place, her Nokia 5110 cell phone in hand, her fingers ready to dial. Despite her mother's protests, Rebecca had made a promise to her early on that she wasn't going to stand back and see her get hurt, not anymore. If he even so much as moved, she'd be ready._

_'Now it's time to keep that promise,' she said mentally in preparation._

_As she had crept closer down the hallway, Rebecca hugged the wall to her left so that neither person saw her. When she had reached the outer frame, there came a loud and sudden slap followed by a sharp cry that had caused Rebecca to fumble and nearly drop her phone onto the floor._

_'That's it, time to end this,' she thought._

_Her heart thudded in her chest and ears as she had dialed nine-one-one and waited._

_'Come on, pick up,' she pled as the dial tone drummed in her ear._

_In the den, she heard some scuffling._

_"I've had it, Martin!" Rebecca heard her mother declare. "I can't take this anymore! I'm filing for a divorce."_

_Rebecca had wanted to cheer for her, shriek at the top of her lungs in joy._

_Before she could, however, there came a deep, dark, patronizing chuckle._

_The bastard was laughing at her!_

_"I mean it!"_

_"You might want to reconsider." the voice calmly replied._

_"Give me one good reason!" her mother hissed._

_"I'll kill you."_

_Rebecca froze._

_'Come on, pick up!' she mentally screamed at the phone._

_"You're bluffing," her mother sputtered._

_"Am I?"_

_Despite the slight slur, the voice had been so maddeningly calm, and that had scared Rebecca. "When I was in the Army, I made friends with some very interesting people. Powerful people. People with connections. Some of them even went on to work here for the Raccoon City Police Department."_

_There was a slight pause, but when he continued, Rebecca had been certain that he must have been smiling, no smirking, as he said it, "You had met them yourself, you just didn't know it at the time."_

_Her mother huffed._

_"Cut the crap, Martin! You aren't scaring me." she said defiantly._

_When he spoke, his voice had taken on a grim and terrifying turn._

_"Then consider this – – if you so much as even attempt to leave this marriage, I'll make sure that your daughter is sold off somewhere far away."_

_Hearing those words made Rebecca pale. She had never heard him speak like this ever. To hear such things from his mouth, from her own father...it was absolutly revolting. Being of the same genetic material with this...this scum made Rebecca feel disgusted with herself._

_When her mother spoke, her tone was full of shock and horror,_

_"You wouldn't...you wouldn't do it. She's your daughter."_

_"Wouldn't I, now?" her father said smugly. "The great thing about capitalism is that there's a market for everything. If your daughter's lucky, the Mafia could just kill her outright and use her for one of their underground organ markets. Then again, she's awfully pretty..."_

_Rebecca hadn't known whether to vomit, cry or pee herself. She had been tempted to do all three and cradle up into a ball on the floor._

_In her hand, the cell phone hung impotently as it continued to ring._

_"...You bastard," her mother whispered._

_"So what will it be? Will you be staying after all?"_

_A few seconds had passed by, maybe a minute._

_"I'll stay." her mother weakly conceded._

_Rebecca choked back a sob. She felt absolutely powerless. To think that her mother would be putting up with that monster for the sake of her was enough to make Rebecca's heart shatter._

_Just then, she heard a voice,"Nine-one-one, what's your emergency?"_

_Rebecca uselessly worked her mouth._

_If what her father said was true, then that meant she couldn't contact or even trust the police._

_"Sorry, wrong number," she quietly replied._

_Turning off her cell phone, Rebecca had then straightened herself up and turned back to the front door, leaving as quietly as possible._

_If she couldn't contact the police for help, then she'd have to do it herself. That afternoon, she headed downtown to apply for S.T.A.R.S._

* * *

><p>"Officer Chambers?"<p>

Hearing Star's voice made Rebecca snap back to reality once more.

"Yes?" she asked.

The albino gave her a deadpan look.

"How can I use my hand if it's like this?"

She blinked.

"Huh?"

The albino raised an eyebrow along with his hand. It was now a great big mitten.

She smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry." she muttered.

Taking it apart, Rebecca then rewound the bandage more appropriately. Wrapping up the last digit with the last piece of bandage, the medic then placed on the arm guard, making sure to tighten each strap.

"Okay, you're all done," Rebecca said happily.

Star flexed his fingers, then looked up at her.

"Thank you."

She smiled.

"You're welcome."

Rebecca watched as the albino pushed himself off the floor with shirt and coat in hand.

"Here, let me," she said.

The albino frowned.

"I appreciate the offer, but I think I can do this on my own." he replied. Looking down at the sling, his frown deepened. "Can I take this off?"

"You shouldn't, not unless you want your wound to open up."

"I don't plan on doing anything strenuous."

He awkwardly then tried to slip his hand through the sleeve. Raising his arm up, he allowed the shirt to slide down, then tried to pull it onto the other shoulder.

Star hissed under his breath.

"I can't work like this."

Carefully taking his arm out from the sling, Rebecca helped the albino slip the sleeve onto the other shoulder, then did up all the buttons.

"Can you help me with my coat please?"

Rebecca looked down at the red leather in his hand.

"Why do you wear this thing?"

The albino raised his head in thought.

"It's kind of difficult to explain. After finding those articles, I thought that it was one of the cultists' ceremonial robes. When I brought it with me, I only saw it as a tool for me to use. I wanted to weed out the little weasels that were trying to frighten me. When I tried it on, though, it felt...familiar, like it was a part of me. I felt safer, braver and more confident than I had ever been."

He tilted his head down, a slight smile spread across his features. As he spoke, Rebecca heard all the warmth and hope in his voice, "That's why I think the coat alone might have been from my father. Maybe he had sent me away to keep me safe."

"Or it could have been from your biological mother."

The smile faltered.

"That...that also occurred to me."

The medic felt saddened upon hearing that.

"This coat really is that important to you?"

He gave a single nod in affirmation.

"Well, coat or no coat, I think you're pretty brave." she said with a smile.

The corners of the albino's mouth twitched.

Taking hold of his coat, Rebecca held it open for him.

Slipping one arm through a sleeve, the albino paused midway.

"Can I ask a hypothetical question?"

"Go ahead."

"What were to happen to me if I was one of Umbrella's creatures?"

Rebecca froze.

"Is this a confession?"

The albino bit his lip.

"No..., but since coming here and hearing your coworker's remark, it just makes me wonder. I feel sick at entertaining such a notion but...how would one be able to find out?"

The medic was silent for a moment, then looked up at him.

"Well, there are tests that could be done at either the Raccoon City Hospital or at one of the walk-in clinics." she suggested.

"That still leaves the question of what happens after," he said worriedly. "Will I be locked away?"

She placed her hands on his shoulders, shushing him.

"Hey, what are you worried for? You said yourself that nothing happened in Arkham, right?"

"Well, yes."

She gently squeezed his arms. "You don't have to be afraid. You are an American citizen, you have rights. If you really are uncertain, we can get you checked out and we'll be there for you. Nothing is going to happen to you."

He gave a slight nod, then slipped the other arm into the sleeve. Once he was done getting his coat back on, she began to help him fit his arm back into the sling.

Moving to the aisle, she retrieved the swords and took them back to the albino, holding them out in offering.

Taking them with one hand, he carefully placed them back into their sheath.

The sound of rusted joints creaking made the pair turn away from the altar to see the rest of the survivors.

Marini nodded to them.

"Rebecca." he greeted pleasantly. Turning to the albino, he paused, then gave a slightly uncomfortable look. "Wolf. Are you all set?"

The pair nodded.

"Yes Captain." Rebecca responded.

"Good, 'cause we're leaving. There's fuck all here."

As the survivors headed toward the exit, Star turned to face her and gave her a slight bow.

"Thank you for your kindness and understanding." he said quietly.

Winking in acknowledgment, she and the albino followed after the rest of their group, leaving behind the church's desolate walls.


	20. Chapter Nineteen: Into the Shadows

A Star's Descent

By evolution_500

**Disclaimer: House of the Dead and Resident Evil are properties belonging to SEGA and Capcom respectively. I do not own any of these characters.**

**Chapter Nineteen: Into the Shadows**

For Enrico Marini, the way back to the foyer was a long one. He was doing everything he could to ignore the headache that he was having.

Hoo boy, and what a headache!

What were the odds of Wesker having a goddamned _son_?

Not only does Wesker have a kid, but now one of the old cases is being called into question.

_'God I could use some aspirin right about now,' _he thought.

And a large bottle of scotch.

_'Get your shit together, Marine.' _he growled mentally, clutching onto the shotgun like it was a crucifix.

Entering the foyer, the survivors uneasily glanced around as they followed him down the stairs, stopping right where the portrait had been.

Staring down the gaping black abyss, Aiken looked uneasily over to Marini.

"What are we doing here?"

"Looking for an exit, Richard," Marini said tiredly. Having found nothing resembling either a radio or an escape route at that damned church, the only thing that seemed to hold some promise as far as escapes go was that path hidden behind the portrait. It was risky – – with Forest and the grenade launcher missing, the survivors were now in a considerably more vulnerable position.

Handing the shotgun to Aiken, he removed his sidearm from his holster. Signaling for him to proceed, Marini watched as he disappeared downward, then gestured to Coen and the albino.

Giving his books to Rebecca, who tucked them into her backpack, the latter straightened himself up and shrugged off his sling.

Looking back to the medic, he shook his head.

"I'm sorry, I just couldn't stand it."

She frowned.

"Just be careful with that shoulder."

Nodding, the albino then followed after Coen.

When Marini turned to look at her, he gave a wave, gesturing her to follow.

* * *

><p>When she tried to move, Rebecca found herself unable to. Though she had made sure to not make it evident, part of her was actually trembling, her legs especially. It felt like they were going to crumble at any moment. Rebecca tried reasoning that she was being foolish, but the truth of the matter was that she was afraid of going down. Any number of things could happen. What if the door suddenly shut, leaving them stranded in darkness? Would they be able to find a way out? What made her especially nervous, though, was what lurked below. What would they find? Would there be a way to open the front doors? Were hordes of infected laying in wait for them? Or was there some other, more horrible secret that Umbrella had kept hidden beneath?<p>

_Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men? Only the Shadow knows._

As if sensing what she's thinking, Marini's expression softened, "You don't have to come if you don't want to. We have no way of knowing what's down there."

Her resolve came when she heard that.

"I'll be alright, Captain." Rebecca said.

"Then it's settled." Marini said.

Following after the others, the duo began their descent.

* * *

><p>Clack, clack, clack.<p>

Rebecca winced at the sounds of her teammates' footfalls. Even when they were at their lightest, the long stairway gave them away.

Could anyone hear them coming?

From what's she's seen so far, this place seemed largely abandoned, but for some inexplicable reason she kept getting the tingling feeling like someone was watching her with some perverse fascination.

Climbing down from the final step of the staircase, the survivors looked around. Stepping toward Marini, she whispered, "Is this a good idea?"

Marini sighed.

"No, probably not," he admitted quietly back, "but we don't have much choice."

He then gave her a slight pat on the shoulder.

"Keep it together, rookie."

Rebecca heard something snap, causing her to whip around in surprise as Coen ripped a piece of conduit off from the wall, letting out a grunt as he did so. When he looked back to the others, he shrugged, "What? I needed a weapon."

Rebecca watched as Marini shook his head, then gestured for Aiken to move ahead. Turning left, the survivors followed after him, turning right down a long narrow and dimly lit concrete corridor until they reached the end, where they found a pair of opposing doors, or rather the remnants of what used to be doorways, along with the debris that used to be the walls.

"Just like what happened upstairs," Coen commented.

_'Indeed,'_ Marini thought.

Initially he had thought that the albino had something to do with that, but seeing this mess here...

"What do you think, Captain, firefight?" Aiken piped up.

Marini frowned.

"I don't see any signs of powder burns." he replied.

Rebecca eyed the devastation, "What do you think made that, then?"

Marini shook his head.

"Honestly, I don't know. The only thing that comes to mind is bulldozer. From what we can see, it looks like it headed straight through that door there." he said as he pointed to the right, close to where they were standing, "I don't fancy on finding out what caused this, so let's just go opposite where it's going."

Rebecca swallowed, nodding in agreement as she followed after her teammates.

Moving through the devastated remains of what had to have been some type of office or observation room with a knocked over desk, they then entered a curious room made of stone walls and flooring, with a broken wooden pillar and what had appeared to be meat hooks that hung and swung from the ceiling, the chains rattling still from whatever had brushed against them. What tied knots in Rebecca's chest were the chains nailed into a wooden plank on a wall; at the end of each chain, Rebecca saw the unmistakable outlines of shackles.

"So this is what happens when someone tries to break from Umbrella's 'unity'," Marini commented. Coen said nothing, eying the shackles and manacles that lied on the floor.

"But where are the prisoners?" Rebecca needlessly and nervously asked.

The question echoed and was left mercifully unanswered by her fellow survivors, but only momentarily. Slipping into a dark hallway made of stone that had been lit by a pair of tripod-mounted torches, the survivors then ducked under the remains of another shattered wall. When they straightened themselves up, Rebecca paled at their new surroundings.

"My God," she breathed.

Illuminated by a pair of torches that hung from the walls, various torture devices could be found in the L-shaped room. On the left hand side, six binding chairs were lined against the wall close to a pit, right next to another plank with shackles, while on the right, no more than three feet away from them, were a pair of iron maidens that unpleasantly greeted the survivors with bloodied open-mouthed smiles in their direction.

_'What kind of fresh hell did I climb into?' _Rebecca wondered.

* * *

><p>The young man watched the survivors on the monitor as they stumbled around the torture chamber.<p>

"You are wasting your time," he tsked with annoyance, "I have already claimed this place for myself, which means you are trespassing."

Letting a smile edge its way up his face, he chuckled darkly as he pressed a button on a keyboard, "And I'm very territorial."

* * *

><p>Somewhere within the facility, a row of cages started to open, causing their occupants to cry out in excitement and anticipation.<p>

* * *

><p>"What. The. Fuck?"<p>

Those were the first words uttered by Aiken since their arrival, breaking the quiet and prompting some of the survivors to move around to examine this room more fully.

Focused on the blood-stained interior of the iron maidens, Rebecca felt a maelstrom of emotions. Part of her felt an overwhelming sense of righteous anger.

How could Umbrella get away with this? How long has this been going on?

The whole point of having Ethics Committees was to prevent this sort of thing from happening.

_'So much for their effectiveness.' _Came the thought.

Based on the state of the iron maidens, this has been going on for a long time, far too long for her liking.

Why would they even have these things?

Were these the tools Umbrella used to enforce their corrupted regulations? Were these tools for interrogation?

Rebecca felt nausea build at the thought of some unfortunate being dragged in here.

Were these men and women that suddenly had a stroke of conscience at Umbrella's activities?

Had they stumbled upon them by accident?

Her heart was racing in her chest, the muscles in her throat tightening like a vice. When she had been working on her degree, she received offers from Umbrella.

_'Was this...was this where I would have ended up had I taken the offer?' _she wondered.

As someone who had wanted to become a doctor, Rebecca fully believed in the Hippocratic Oath and Primum Non Nocere; to see those values so casually disregarded here was no less astonishing in their audacity.

_'Surely they just didn't toss people into these things for the hell of it!' _Part of her reasoned.

Upon thinking that, Rebecca felt her stomach churn in shame. By trying to discern a reason behind these atrocities, she's in turn, albeit not intentionally, rationalizing and valorizing their actions. There was no point in reasoning here; reason had no place here. Regardless the answer, there was only one word that encompassed what she was seeing before her.

Evil. Pure, absolute evil.

"Are you okay, Rebecca?" Marini asked.

Her gaze remained on the bloodied floor and casing.

"No," she answered quietly. "No, I'm not."

The Bravo sighed, as if trying to find words of comfort but unable.

It was probably for the best that he hadn't, not after seeing this.

Part of her wanted to cry.

"Hey Captain, I found something!"

Aiken's voice made the medic jostle her gaze away from the bloodied spikes over to her coworker as he approached them, but the expression on his face told her that the news wasn't anything that will inspire confidence.

"You have got to take a look at this." he said as he handed some dirty file folder to Marini.

Taking it from his hands, Marini flipped it open.

"Oh my god." he muttered.

"What is it?" Rebecca asked.

"'Correctional Institute Inmates list.'"

Everyone froze upon hearing that, Coen especially. Gathering around, the survivors peered around Marini's frame, looking over to see what he held.

"Convicts. They've been using fucking convicts for this shit." Aiken spat.

Rebecca felt numb at this new piece of information. Looking over to Coen, she watched as his hands, his mouth and jaw tightened, the bones ready to pop out through his skin.

It then struck her.

_'God, if it hadn't been for that crash, Billy could have-'_

She abruptly stopped herself from mentally voicing it.

The poor man!

"Look at all these names!" Aiken said.

Moving over so that she would able to see the content better, Rebecca's jaw dropped.

There must have been over a dozen names, if not more. What made it even more chilling was how casually their fates had been listed.

Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Deceased. Disposal Complete.

Preserved as specimen.

Transported to research facilities.

Transported to Arklay laboratories.

Even though these men were convicts, it appalled her.

"Noone deserves this." she whispered.

Marini nodded in agreement.

"Put this in your backpack, we're taking this with us." he said stiffly.

Shrugging off her backpack, Rebecca carefully slipped it in, making sure that it wouldn't be crumpled. Zipping it up, she abruptly stopped as something heavy dropped onto her back and clamp around her shoulders. What made her rear up and jerk back screaming was the feeling of hot air breathing down on the back of her neck and ears.

"HELP ME! SOMEONE HELP ME!" she shrieked. "GET IT OFF!"

"HOLY SHIT!" Rebecca heard Aiken shout.

"GET THAT DAMN THING OFF HER!" Marini snapped.

She twisted until she heard a loud whap, causing the weight to disappear. Turning around, she saw Coen repeatedly batter away at her attacker – – a large bloodied baboon with missing patches of fur and skin that cried out with every blow made onto its body. Finishing it off with a hard stomp on its neck, the animal lay unmoving as Coen pulled away and tossed the bent conduit aside, his clothes and face covered in blood.

Rebecca nervously felt her back and neck.

"Did it cut me?! Did it cut me?!" she repeated frantically.

"Let me see." Aiken demanded.

Standing deathly still, she waited as he looked her over.

"You're fine. No marks." he patted her on the shoulder.

She trembled with relief, then reached up to shakily touch her choker.

_'Grandma, if you can hear me, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you!' _she blessed.

"Is it dead?" Rebecca asked, sniffling.

Coen nodded.

"Very."

She swallowed.

"Thank you."

Coen opened his mouth when Marini shushed them.

"Listen." he said quietly.

Something skittered within the walls, followed by sharp cries and growls.

"Sounds like the little bastard has a couple of buddies heading our way." Aiken whispered.

Tap.

The survivors froze upon hearing that single sound.

Tap, tap, tap, tap.

Looking around in confusion, the survivors tried to pinpoint the source, but it was difficult. It sounded like it came from nearby.

Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap.

'Where is that noise-'

Rebecca paused when she noticed movement from the corner of her eye. Turning to see a pair of three to four foot long hairy appendages reaching up from the pit at the other end of the room, she elicited a startled cry as a two foot high, six and a half foot long tarantula pulled itself up, causing the others to spin about. Five bursts from the shotgun reduced the the arachnid to smoking meat, but more legs were starting to crawl up.

"PULL BACK TO THE STAIRS, WE'RE LEAVING!" Marini shouted.

Twisting around, the survivors ran past the rubble. Rebecca heard vents smash inward, followed by growls. Looking momentarily over her shoulder, what she saw made her run even faster than before, her boots practically flying off from the floor.

Dozens upon dozens of spiders and baboons were clamoring after them, along with a centipede that must have been over fifteen feet long! Though some of them turned on each other, the rest pursued doggedly after them. The way they crawled, skittered, leaped and tripped over each other was a scene that was sickening to behold, like a floodgate releasing the world's horrors. Though Marini and Aiken tried lessening the load with carefully aimed shots, there were far too many to take out.

Climbing up the stairs back into the foyer, Rebecca saw Marini point to the scale, "SOMEONE GET THAT SHIT OFF AND CLOSE THAT DAMN DOOR!"

Gunfire, roars of pain and anger echoed as she moved with a speed that she never thought she had. Tripping on the stairs, Rebecca grunted as she fell indelicately on her hands and knees before she forcefully pushed herself back up. Running at full burst, she slid into the scale, shoving the suitcases off.

There came a slight rumble, followed by squeals of pain that caused her to cringe. Looking over the balcony, Rebecca saw to her horror that some of the baboons and spiders had their limbs caught within the door. Clamping a hand over her mouth, she pulled away. Pressing her hands onto her ears, she held her tear-filled eyes shut as she tried to block out the sounds of bone and ligaments snapping.

* * *

><p>Marini could only watch as some of the creatures' limbs feebly wriggled around. Blood oozed down Doctor Marcus' portrait, rendering it in an even more terrible manner as limbs snapped off and decorated the carpeted floor. By the time the secret door had closed, all noise disappeared. Silence returned to the mansion foyer once more.<p>

* * *

><p>"It just doesn't make sense." Birkin said while walking, flipping the page from his clipboard as he did so. Beside him, his companion quietly listened. "Do you actually believe this could be the identity of that young man? Impossible."<p>

Letting out a sigh, he continued, "But, _if_ somehow it is true, then Umbrella will be finished."

They proceeded to walk toward the elevator, listening tentatively to make sure they were alone.

"If the old conspiracy against Doctor Marcus is revealed, Mr. Spencer's career will be over. Not to mention ours too." his companion pointed out.

Birkin nodded thoughtfully.

"Spencer seems to be pulling all the stops out on this one. Those creatures – – I'm certain those are some newer model of B.O.W. but I've never seen or even heard of anything like them. I would love to examine them for myself." he replied.

His companion remained silent at the mention. Pressing on the call button for the elevator, the duo waited.

"So what are you going to do?" Birkin asked.

"I will simply say goodbye to Umbrella," the man replied. "Now that the biological weapon utilizing the t-virus has been completed, the only thing to do now is to acquire combat data."

"And what about those other creatures out there? We also still need to do something about that madman in case you have forgotten."

The elevator door opened, allowing the man to step through.

"Do as you wish." Came the cold response. "I will follow my initial plan and lure the S.T.A.R.S. members into the mansion. Their combat training should make them perfect test subjects."

Birkin listened as he let out a dry chuckle, like a pair of grating ice cubes.

_'Note to self, never make him laugh.' _he thought before finding his voice again**, **"Fine. If I recall correctly, URC is equipped with a self-destruct device in the basement. I'll find it, set it off and annihilate the place to nothing more than a mass of rubble."

Receiving a nod, he watched as his companion disappeared behind the elevator door.


End file.
